Batting For The Other Team
by Mystic Rains
Summary: "Tsuruga-san, you've premiered over 3 years ago. Since then, you've been #1 Bachelor Of Japan 3 years running, Best Dressed Man Of The Year, Teen Choice etc. Yet we haven't heard a peep of your love life. I think I speak for all when I ask…are you gay?"
1. The Accusation

**Not mine, except for the plot bunny. I always forget to say that.**

**Update: Trying to go through the story and fixed the glaring errors I posted in my haste to get the story up. Please forgive me. Later in the story I get a beta.

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The air in the studio sizzled in its silence. The audience sat frozen, stunned, staring at the long legged, tastefully dressed, handsome gentleman as if seeing him for the first time. Live cameras rolled on, framing the only two people on stage. The faint sound of crickets broke the dead air and reminded the man to speak.

"I'm sorry. Could you repeat that?" His voice turned slightly cold, contradicting the gleaming sparkles of his smile. The popular blond talk-show host's lips rose in an even larger smile, knowing that she had just made the comment that would make her career. She nodded and continued on as if nothing happened.

"Tsuruga-san, you've premiered over three years ago. Since then, you've been the Number One Bachelor Of Japan three years running, Best Dressed Man Of The Year, Most Handsome Smile, Girl's Teen Choice," she ticked off all his titles on her well manicured fingers "and many more, yet we haven't heard one peep of your love life. You go to award shows alone, your never spotted at celebrity parties, and I think I speak for all of the eligible women fans wondering around Japan…are you gay?"

Her guest barely opened his mouth to reply before the theme music cut him off. The producer flashed a smile, signaling discreetly that they were out of time.

"Well that's our shows ladies! I want to thank Tsuruga Ren for agreeing to talk to us today." She paused to bow politely to him. He grudgingly nodded his head in acknowledgment. "Watch us next time, as we talk to Fuwa Sho about his newest musical hit, "Confrontation!" Have a lovely night everyone!"

The cameraman signaled the start of the credits, and the stage manager gave the all clear. Lights rising, the studio audience quietly got to their feet and shuffled out. They exited in depressed whispers, in almost near silence.

It was a strange occurrence for Tsuruga Ren to watch from the stage. Usually after any audience show, women would run up the stage and the security would have to hold them back. He would smile and edge to the exit as he was pleaded with to sign autographs on this piece of paper and that body part. Expecting the same, the security members gave each other confused looks up and down the guardrail line, at the emptying row of seats.

"Are you busy after this Tsuruga-san?" The pretty hostess uncrossed her long legs and switched from her single chair to the small love seat where he still sat. "I'm going out tonight, and I'd love it if you could join me" She threw her bleach blond locks over her shoulder, and smiled seductively to her guest, nudging herself closer to his side.

Tsuruga stood, giving her a thin-lipped smile.

"I'm afraid everything in my schedule is already booked. I still have a late night shoot."

She tutted, and looked back at him. Her lips were pouted down, but her eyes held a challenging glint. "A promotional maybe? A film about cowboys, perhaps?"

"Simply a clothing line photo shoot." Ren responded sweetly. He still had his gentleman's smile, but a few lines cracked. "Madam, I am not homosexual, in case you are still wondering."

"Oh no…that I have no doubt Tsuruga-san. It's just what my audience wanted to know, that the only reason why I asked." Her shiny glossed pink lips rose in a smile. She clapped her hands together, as if coming up with an idea. "I know we didn't quite to get to your answer. How about you appear on the show as a surprise guest, and clear it up? You're invited on my stage anytime."

Tsuruga-san nodded briskly, not wanting to say something he might regret, and left the stage. He could hear the whispers from the cast members, cleaning up for tomorrow night's shoot. He didn't bother to stop for Yashiro-san, who was biting his fist and shuffling his feet to get to the car at the same time Ren did. The actor's face was sparkling but his mood was dark, and he looked like he was ready to peel out of the studio with or without his manager.

Closing the door, buckling in, and returning to the dark Tokyo roads, Yashiro sat in the passenger's side holding his stomach in pain. Trying to think of anything other than the interview, his eyes darted around, then clenched shut. He knew his cheeks were wet with tears, but he kept silent, biting his lip and holding his breath. Tsuruga kept his eyes on the road, but as he approached a red light, he glanced at his blue tinted manager. He took a deep sigh.

"You can laugh, Yashiro-san."

The tiny silver sports car erupted in sound as his manager let loose the torrent of chuckles he had been holding.

"I can't believe they think you, Tsuruga Ren, the realized dream of Japanese women, would be gay!"

As if saying it out loud reminded him of the fact, Yashiro burst out laughing once again, clenching his gut and hitting his fist over the dashboard. He rolled back and forth in his passenger seat. "Pretty funny huh?" Ren pretended to chuckle lightly too, as his manager chortled at his expense.

"Who do you think the gossip press would assign my "secret gay lover" to be Yashiro-san?" Ren laughed, as the light turned green and the car started rolling on.

"Oh, I don't really know." Yashiro's full barrow laughs slowly turned to tired chuckles. "Whatever poor guy is around you the most."

"And who would that be?"

There was a long pause in the car. The laughter cut off immediately.

"That's right, Yashiro_ Yukihito" _Ren said simply.

"I told you no good would be won by showing on that gossip rag of a talk show." Yashiro reached in his pocket and started to roll on a surgical latex glove on his left hand. "I'll call LME. You didn't get a chance to answer, and the gossip reels is going to pounce on this like their first good meal in weeks."

"You know," Yashiro paused for a moment, thinking. "if an anonymous tip was left with one of those magazines, and you invited _Kyoko_-_chan_ to stop by…"

Tsuruga slammed his foot on the breaks, stopping in the middle of the lane. Several angry horns honked, covering the sudden string of swear words Yashiro let out as his phone tumbled out of his left arm and into his lap. He quickly fished for it and grabbed it with his covered glove. Flicking it open to check it hadn't fallen victim to his curse, he sighed in relief.

He turned to Ren, amazed by his worried expression. He still held the car immobile. "Now what was that for? We could have caused a pile up!"

"She has to stay as far away from me as possible in the next coming weeks." Tsuruga voiced his thoughts in urgency, as if realizing the implements of his predicament in a hurry. "I need any shot that she may be in rescheduled, and any meals you may have planned her to make for me cancelled."

"but…why?.." Yashiro looked genuinely confused. "She could bask in the limelight with you. You can use it to squash any doubts about your sexual preference. Maybe you could even step to the plate. It's a Win-Win!" Ren looked at his manager angrily, and he fell silent.

"Kyoko-chan is a high school girl. That's enough of a reason."

"So wh-"Yashiro attempted to stop him with his usual disagreement, but Ren uncharacteristically cut him off.

"Even if it was okay that she's still in school; I've seen what girls do to other girls who are involved with men they like. It leads to nasty confrontations. It's no better in the acting world. She probably dealt with it all her life." Although many held her in high regard, it didn't fail to escape him how few real friends the blossoming actress had. The only one he knew that was her age was Kotonami Kanae, which Kyoko clung to like she'd disappear. Ren remembered how she confessed to having no friends in school, except her 'prince.' His gaze darkened at the idea of Fuwa Sho.

"Plus, do you want her to be exposed to that all over show business before she's even had her official debut?" His manager widened in recognition as Ren fixed him with a serious look. "She's in LoveMe for a reason. Do you think she'd accept this job? Do you think she could even act like she enjoyed my touches, and my kisses, in front of thousand of cameras?"

Yashiro looked down at his lap, cheeks flushing in emotion. His stomach sank, sudden feeling ashamed at the idea of using Kyoko to fix the problem. At first thought, it sounded like a great way to make Tsuruga fess up to his feeling, but he was right about the sharks of the gossip world. Hadn't one just taken a bite out of his charge? They'd tear through her like scraps, and Kyoko-chan's innocence had already been torn apart once. He moved his lips to apologize, but Ren just held his hand up in silence.

"Yashiro-san…you more than anyone know me and how I feel about her. I won't push her into anything she's not ready for."

The manager nodded, shocked at Ren's frankness in regards to his emotion. It was like seeing the wall you pecked on for years suddenly fall and crumble before your feet. Shaking off the other thoughts, Yashiro went to the task at hand. He opened his cell phone. Kyoko or not, Yashiro had to get the wheels moving quickly. A real manager wasn't only someone who scheduled appointments, but could handle the press. He was the manager to the best actor in Japanese showbiz, and he had to prove to himself that he was the best manager.

"Hello; this is Yashiro Yukihito, Tsuruga Ren's manager. I'd like to discuss a deal we might be able to make tonight…"

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_**A/N: This idea came to me and I was laughing forever. I'm almost done with my first full length story, and I'd like to work in to more humorous romances. **_

_**I'll probably base whether to continue this story if enough reviewers bite at the line, and think this is a good enough story to review over. It may just be only I think the plot line is amusing as hell**_.


	2. The Media

_Kyoko beat at his chest with her small fist, round tears falling from her thick black eyelashes. Ren looked down at her with bewildered eyes._

"_Please, say it's not true Tsuruga-san. It can't be true!"_

"_What isn't true Mogami-san? I don't understand." He grabbed her wrists and held them still. Her tears didn't stop, and she writhed to get away from him, looking down at the floor. _

"_I know I'm only a kohai, but I thought we could have something special." He was struck by her intensity as she looked up at him. "Anyone but him! Please! Anyone but him!"_

"_Him? Who's him? Please explain…"_

_Deep barrow laughter erupted from behind, and Ren felt his figure being pulled away. He tried to grasp at her again, but he could only brush her wrists as she begun to sink back into the black background. Ren turned around and saw Sho, smiling at him with a twinkle in his eye. It was the same sort of smile Mizuki gave Katsuki during the touching scenes of Dark Moon. Ren reeled back, horrorstruck. _

"_It's okay Kuon-chan," Sho grabbed him by the waist and pulled him close."You can tell her…" Ren tried to push him away, but Sho had a stronger grip than he should have had. Ren whipped his head back, and watched Kyoko raise her hand to wipe tears away._

"_Wait! Mogami-san?" She gave him one more saddened look, then started running into the blackness. He felt Sho snuggle into his back as he squirmed to get away._

"_No! NO!"_

"Kyoko!" Ren sat up in bed, his hand extended into the air. His breaths were quick and uneven, and his pajamas were drenched in perspiration. Arm dropping slowly, he used it to wipe away the sweat from the face.

Angry at his unconscious foolishness, he took his silken sheets and threw them to the other side of the large bed. Ren swung his long legs over the edge, sitting with his head hung between his legs. Turning to the side, he looked at the clock between his black locks. It glowed 5:03 in green LED lights. He knew that it was much too early to be waking up, but there was no way he was going to be able to fall back to sleep after _that. _

Ren stood up, and started unbuttoning his damp shirt. He thought about getting a good morning workout in, take a shower and maybe make some coffee. Mogami-san had bought a coffee percolator the last time she visited, and the caffeinated drink had tasted much better than the instant brands he had been using. He smiled as she showed him how to work it before leaving.

Remembering the dream, Ren sighed and dropped the shirt to the side of the bed. That smile on Fuwa's face made him shudder. It was going to be a long, trying day, he could already feel it. He made his way to the dojo to train, certain that a good long session would drive everything from his mind.

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Standing in a pair of light blue jeans and a navy button down top, Ren stood next to the stove. He could smell the coffee being brewed, and he smiled to himself. He debated making a small bite of breakfast as well, but found all the food in the refrigerator either spoiled, or was past his expertise to make. He ran his fingers through his wet hair, before taking the handle and pouring himself a cup of fresh black coffee.

The doorbell buzzed, and Ren looked at his watch. It was only half past seven, much too early to have visitors. He wasn't even expected to pick up Yashiro-san until an hour from now. He took the steaming hot mug, and walked calmly to the door.

Only a few people knew where he lived. It was a very well kept secret; otherwise he'd be hounded by the press and his fans. It could only be a few welcoming faces... or the president. He frowned at the idea of it being Lory. He usually brought trouble.

"Hurry Tsuruga, hurry…" Yashiro's muffled voice floated through the door, impatient. Instead of looking through the peep hole, Ren unlocked the doors and opened it. His manager rushed in, and snapped the door behind him quickly.

"Yashiro-san…what is that?" Ren gave his visitor an inquisitive look, deviating from his original question. He was in his usual garb. His suit was gray and pressed. His shirt was crisp and white, and he had a stylish tie on as always. The strange thing was Yashiro's face. He had two bandanas on his head. One was under his eyes, covering his face, and the other was placed above his eyes, shielding the top of his head.

Seeing his questioning face, Yashiro stood to his full height, and pulled off the pieces of cloth.

"I didn't want to be seen coming here." Yashiro made his way to the sleek modern couch, and sat down. He sighed, and reached into his briefcase. Pulling out a handful of magazines, he spread the gossip magazines out on the table. All of the covers showed various pictures of Ren in some way or another, either in costume or on the red carpet. The titles were all bright shades of pink.

"Tsuruga Ren, celibate or celebrating men?"

"Japan's Top Man Seeking Men!"

"Sneak Peak, Tsuruga's Secret GAY Lover!"

Tsuruga face froze, and his eyes widened. Yashiro couldn't resist a chuckle, albeit a bit sarcastic, on his behalf.

"They're all like this Tsuruga-san. They all have "anonymous" accounts with your gay lovers, various fans expressing doubts, and pictures of you in your designer clothing. It's as you picked your clothes out yourself, rather than designers. You can't be surprised at the speed of the industry" He stopped, and sniffed the air. "…is that coffee I smell? I was up at 4:30 so I could catch the vans making their rounds. Mind if I have some?"

With Ren's nod, Yashiro stood up, and floated to the kitchen for a cup. Taking his place on the sofa, Ren sat down and started flipping through the magazines.

Like Yashiro said, the magazines were all full of him. There were various face photos, eyes censored, quoting that they saw him leave love hotels with other men. They doubted his good taste in clothing, his gentlemanly manners, even his hairstyle.

Shuffling through one of the drabble magazines, he found a fold out page that featured a photo that wasn't himself. Instead, there was a picture of an overweight teenager, with thick glasses, scarred acne skin, and a buzzed cut hair. Above the title, it read "Tsuruga's secret lover!" Tsuruga raised his eyebrows in surprise, and found himself picking up the magazine.

"Tsuruga Ren, a star among men, is usually seen alone

in the public eye. But what about the private eye?

We used our special resources to delve deep into

his private life and found out he's rarely seen without

one man. Yashiro Yukihito. We were able to procure

this picture of this particular man. Not much is known

about him yet. We wonder what sort of tastes Tsuruga Ren

prefers, but this photo shows that this actor is not

blinded to beauty alone…"

Wondering what caught his eye, Yashiro circled around the couch, to read over his shoulder. Spotting the image printed on the sheet, his mouth dropped and the cup fell out of his hand. Tsuruga jumped in shock as the glass shattered, as his manager grabbed the magazine and huddled in the corner.

"How did they get this? This is horrible!" He started crying, as the journal shook in his hand.

"Yashiro-san…was that really you?" Ren's eyes went from the pudgy, acne adolescent photo, to his fit, smooth-skinned manager.

Yashiro nodded his head, tearing up. "I know…I looked like an otaku… but this is worse than I thought! It's just like you said!" He sniffed, and pushed up his glasses by the bridge.

This time, Ren couldn't resist a chuckle, albeit a bit sarcastic, on his behalf. Yashiro glared.

"I got you on Bridge Rock tonight. It's a celebrity friendly show, so you can fight these rumors." He clenched the magazine in his fist, crumpling the sheet. "It's definitely going to be a long day."


	3. The Challenge

Fuwa Sho lazed on the leather sofa haphazardly. His legs dangled off one of the armrests, and he clicked through the daytime news shows without real regard to what was playing. He looked at the ceiling, listening for his name on any of the entertainment programs. He enjoyed watching the cute female hosts chatter about how good his music was, and how he was the sexy new star.

Sho's lips curled in a proud smirk. He knew his popularity was still rising. He could see Kyoko on her knees, clawing at the dirt, trying to reach him on the top of the showbiz mountain top.

_She'll never catch up to me…_

"…really think Tsuruga Ren could be gay?"

The remote fell from his hand with a clatter. Bringing his feet forward, Sho sat properly and leaned closer to the mini television screen, temporarily mesmerized. The male and female host turned to partially face each other, side by side at the same long desk. A picture of the famous male actor was displayed between them.

"Look at the facts Manami. No girlfriend, no dates, well-dressed, well-mannered, and no scandals while thousands of beautiful women constantly throw themselves at his feet!"

"but Kenta…"

"No Manami. No real man has that much self control! He must be gay!"

The television clicked off as Aki Shoko turned the knob. Tapping her heeled foot, she turned angrily the blond headed teenager in her care.

"Enough of this Sho. I let you rest here enough. We have to get going now if we're going to catch your next show."

His left eyelid started twitching. She took a step back, worried if he was angry.

His cheeks puffed out, trying to hold it in. He bit his lip, but it was too much. Sho rolled off the couch, banging his fist on the floor and crying tears of mirth and laughter. He snorted as he tried to get a hold of himself, but he rolled onto his back, kicking his legs into the air.

"Gay! He's Gay! GAY!"

Sho closed his eyes, and imagined Tsuruga Ren gay. The image of the handsome man emerged in his mind, bright pink lipstick, his hair tied up in a small ponytail, with shimmery blue eye shadow.

His cheeks and stomach started to hurt from laughing so hard, but he couldn't stop. He hadn't laughed this much since he imagined Vie Ghoul as a bunch of beagles. The sudden image of Gay Ren holding a bow-tied beagle to his chest was too much. Sho collapsed from a lapse of air, still clutching at his stomach.

Sighing, his manager took him by the scruff and started to drag him to the car. No matter what, she wasn't going to let him be late for Bridge Rock. It was a live show, and he was the musical guest. There was no wiggle room in this appearance.

* * *

"Evening Tsuruga-_chan._" Sho greeted him cheerfully, as Ren rounded the corner. He lifted his head to look from his manager to the singer. Ren's eyes narrowed, but widened as he realized it was the blond musician. His eyes filled with a strange emotion, something akin to disgust, and he turned his head back to the lens-wearing man.

Sho's eyebrow twitched in anger. He was not the current laughingstock of show business, _he_ was. And yet the pompous ass had the nerve to look at _him_ as if _he_ were gay? The singer's blood started to boil.

_How dare he look down at me!_

"What's wrong? Your _boyfriend_ waiting for you?"

Ren stopped in his tracks, but didn't turn around. Sho laughed at his broad stiff back. He had gotten a hit under the actor's armor. Time to salt the wound.

"Or perhaps it's Bo the rooster you're looking for? A thing for coc-"

Ren had him pinned to the wall before Shoutaro could comprehend what was happening. He had a hard time keeping face in front the demon king gaze. Yashiro tried to pull Ren's shoulder back, but the half American was entirely too strong for either of the Japanese men.

"Apologize…"

Sho turned his head away from the looming man, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Sorry, I don't swing that way."

"**Apologize." **Ren repeated, this time under an English tongue. He suddenly appeared ten times more dangerous.

"Tsuruga-san…" Yashiro said in a warning tone. It was all the distraction he needed. Sho took the occasion to slip under Ren's strong arm, and backed away a safe distance. At the further distance, he got back of his nerves back. He was still a bit shaken. How could anyone sound so threatening under a foreign language.

"I'll apologize…when you prove you're not a faggot."

"He doesn't have to prove anything to you, Fuwa-san." Yashiro hissed, like a mother cat protecting his kitten. The taller of the two stepped forward.

"Alright Fuwa-san. To show you, and the world, I'll take your challenge." The two other faces in the hall look dumb stricken. "But I don't want your apology. I want you to apologize to Mogami-san."

"For what?" Sho honestly looked confused. Ren clenched his fist.

_"For what?_ You no good, two-bit…" Yashiro voice rose angrily as he advanced on the entertainer. Ren grasped his shoulder, and held him back.

"For hurting her. You'll apologize publicly."

Shoutaro paused, a moment of regret on the edge of his consciousness. The emotion fell off a cliff. He smirked. "Fine. You need come out that you're in a relationship, with a woman. If you lose though, you'll publicly come out of the closet."

"Okay."

"WHAT?" His manager grabbed his arm. "Have you forgotten you're NOT gay Tsuruga-san!"

"One more thing, Tsuruga-chan," Sho said mockingly, turning around and walking to the other end of the hallway. "It has to be Kyoko, and you have a week to do it."

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**"If love becomes serious, you'll lose your composure. It makes one not care anymore. Even if…he looks lame and messy." Chapter 54 – page 15.**

**You'll find out what happened on the show next chapter.**

**It took me three freaking chapters to get to the damn challenge. This is where it gets fun. I know how I wanted the beginning to start, and I know how I want to end. In the middle though…poor Ren-chan *smiles evilly***


	4. The Ride Home

The car ride was again noiseless. The driver kept his eyes on the road and his hands firmly gripped on the wheel. The passenger crossed his arms tightly against his chest, and looked out the window at the passing stores. He chewed on his lip, annoyed, to keep himself from talking. Both bodies were stiff. The topic hung heavy in the air, as if an elephant in the back seat.

Ren sighed. That was all the prompting Yukihito needed. The manager started to cry.

"I can't believe you Tsuruga-san! This is the end. This is the beginning of the end! I can't believe how we got into this. I can't believe how _you_ got yourself into this! We can't fight the rumors if you go out on the public record and admit it!"

The actor's day was fairly normal. He was on set most of the day, working on the finishing scenes as Actor X. He had noted whispers in the lunch room by his colleagues, but when he looked over their way, they hurried out of the mess hall. Yashiro worked at a desk in LME, so not to give away his cover. He only had one appearance as Tsuruga Ren, which was on the celebrity show.

"May I remind you that _you_ booked me for the show Yashiro-san."

"I thought the chicken was going to be there! I had it all planned out. You were the guest. The chicken got questions from the audience. The chicken asks you if you're gay. You tell the world no. The story is over. We both go home happy! How was I suppose to know they dropped that portion of the show?"

Ren frowned. He had been looking forward to seeing the rooster. He hadn't been to the Bridge Rock set since the middle of filming Dark Moon, and that had been a long time ago. Dark Moon had already been fully broadcasted. He had wanted to thank to chicken for his emotional support, and to admit that he was right.

He had been looking for Bo when he had run into Sho. After the confrontation, he had been rather unable to contain his false smile. It beamed full force at the hosts, who had been caught unaware. Uneasy, but unsure why, they had simply asked Ren the typical question: What was he working on? What did he do in his spare time? They had failed to even touch the topic of romance, and without the introduction to the issue, Ren couldn't bring it up. If he blurted out he wasn't gay when no one asked, he'd look like he was lying.

Curious, and disappointed, Yashiro had asked what happened to the rooster after the show. One of the hosts sighed. "The original Bo was drafted back to LME. We tried to find another actor, but no one seemed to do. Audience members hated them all, no matter what we did, so we were forced to drop the mascot."

"Tsuruga…" interrupted Yashiro.

"Yashiro…"

"Don't Yashiro me! Now you're going to have to say that you're homosexual. There goes all your fans. There goes your bookings. There goes all your revenue."

"I could…" Ren paused for a moment, his voice dropping "…try to win her over?"

"She's hasn't even turned eighteen yet! Whatever happened to…" Yashiro's face temporarily mocked Ren's. "Kyoko-chan is a high school girl. For one thing, she's underage…She's also in LoveME for a reason. Do you think she'd accept this job?"

"That was pretty good impression Yashiro."

"That's not the point!" He huffed and sat back in his seat, arms re-crossed. Frustrated, he returned his gaze outside the window. Ren went back to concentrating on the traffic.

"REN! PULL OVER!!!" The actor slammed on the breaks, jerking the car to the side the road.

His manager rolled the window and stuck his head out. He waved his hand wildly, drawing the attention of the few pedestrians walking on the sidewalk.

"Kyoko-chan!"

Ren looked up into his mirror. It was undoubtedly Kyoko. She was bundled tightly in a long winter white coat, with auburn gloves and matching knee length boots, but it was impossible to mistake her with his attention to detail. Her hair was pulled back into two small ponytails and she had a heartfelt smile on face. She was wearing lip gloss today. He turned his head, blushing at how much he was observing her. It had felt like a long time since he had really gotten to see her. Now he only had a week to win her.

Kyoko lightly jogged, catching up to the silver sports car. Leaning down, she gave a small wave with a wide smile. "Evening Yashiro-san, Tsuruga-san!" Both men returned the smile with their own.

"Are you heading home, Kyoko-chan?" Yashiro asked, curious.

"Hai!" She chirped in reply.

"Hold on…" Yashiro went pull at the door handle, but Kyoko put a gloved hand on the window.

"Oh no, I couldn't take up your time. I'm not that far from the Darumaya."

"Don't be silly Kyoko-chan. It's cold tonight!" The auburn man pouted.

"It's refreshing, really! We had an unusually hot summer this year."

"Mogami-san," Ren spoke for the first time since they had stopped. His tone was disapproving. "What have I told you about walking around so late at night? You're a young female alone. It's not always safe."

"Oh, you don't have to worry about me Tsuruga-san. I'm prepared now!" She lifted up her jacket and skirt, revealing a small hammer, strapped to her lower thigh. Yashiro blushed and turned from the exposed skin, but Ren kept his face straight.

"You've been an actress for more than a year now Mogami-san. What if you were to be spotted by the press? They'd take a picture and write a disreputable story to fit it. Come in, I'll drive you home."

He set the car to park, exited, and pulled the seat up. Looking embarrassed, she nodded and walked around to his door.

"I guess you're right Tsuruga-san. Thank you for taking me home."

She slipped into the backseat, pulling the chair back forward after she was safely inside. Yashiro sat at the window, giving Ren a big smile and two thumbs up above the roof. He made no response to the gesture however, and entered the car once again. Once everyone was buckled in, Ren turned off his hazard lights and merged back into traffic.

The atmosphere of the car was much friendlier. Yashiro turned around to face Kyoko in the backseat, making conversation.

"How have you been Mogami-chan? We haven't had a chance to see you in such a long time. We certainly missed you. Right, Tsuruga-san?"

Tsuruga nodded, smiling. In the corner of his eye however, he gave his manager a warning look.

"I haven't been up to much, Yashiro-san. President Takarada has been keeping us busy. Moko-chan and I, I mean."

"Any new roles?"

"A few…" She trailed off.

"That's wonderful, Mogami-san." Ren smiled, his face illuminating the car. "Usually I see you when you have new roles. You must be very secure in acting them." Both of the passengers huddled to the other side of the coupé, frightened. Yashiro shivered. Kyoko broke out in a cold sweat, and shook her head vigorously.

"No! Not at all, Tsuruga-san! In fact, my new role starts tomorrow. I just picked up the script from Sawara-san tonight." She pulled the binder of papers from her bag, waving it in proof. "It's a PV for Queen Records again."

The temperature of the car dropped below zero. Both passengers broke out in strong tremors. Yashiro rubbed his arms with his hand for warmth. Spirits slowly raised from behind Kyoko, and sailed smoothly to Ren's section in a content fashion. ~_Let me feel the darkness…it feels so nice….~ _He turned to look at her, his smile at full power.

"For Fuwa Sho?"

"No no! It's for a singer named Kanon Wakeshima! Sawara-san said she's quite the female pop artist!" Kyoko continued to shake her head. "I'd never work for him again if I can help it!"

The atmosphere warmed up quickly. The demons dispersed. The occupants, safe but jumpy, kept silent for the rest of the ride until car pulled over in front of the Darumaya. Ren let her out, and she bowed her thanks. Before she could open the door, he spoke.

"I pass by Queen Records tomorrow. How about I pick you up and drop you off tomorrow at seven. That way you won't have to walk in the cold." Ren's voice held no inquisitive tone. It was a statement that allowed for no argument. All that could be done was agree and thank him, which she did, before entering the restaurant.

"You scared her out of her wits, you know that right." Yashiro scolded him, as soon as he stepped back into the car. "You're supposed to be winning her over, and instead you trap her like a rabbit."

Ren said nothing as he turned the car around.

"Well.." Yashiro sighed, pushing up his glasses by the bridge; "You've seven days. If it doesn't work out, you can always stay Actor X…"


	5. Day One: Senpai Ren

Ren entered the Darumaya for the first time, letting in the watery morning light. The restaurant was deserted, except for the head chef, already preparing for the morning crowd. His voice was brusque, welcoming his customer without looking up from the grill. Ren stayed at the doorway, looking around casually. He was more than twenty minutes early. He had trouble sleeping again, and figured it'd be best get another early start to the day.

Emerging from a side door, a gentile plump woman smiled at the door's tinkling bell. Her eyes widen when she noticed the guest, and she brought her hands to her lips in surprise.

"Oh…you're Tsuruga Ren!"

He gave her a small but genuine smile. "I'm here to pick up Mogami-san."

"Oh, are you waiting for Kyoko-chan?" She looked pleased, and a bit embarrassed. She swept the front of her apron. "Hold on one moment. I'll go and see if she's ready." She turned and went back through the door she had just entered. He could hear her walking up the stairs, calling out for the adolescent actress in an nervous voice.

Ren turned his head, feeling watched. The chef had taken his eyes off the stove, and was looking at him with intense eyes. Ren gave a smile he habitually gave when meeting excited staff members for the first time. The chef's lips turned down in a frown, and went back to staring at the grill.

The actor was unnerved. He felt like he was shot down. Ren wracked his brain for conversations.

"You've a…very nice restaurant here." Ren mentioned nervously. The chef simply grunted in reply.

"It looks quite like the Mikata. Have you seen the show?" he continued, somewhat lamely. He kicked himself. Usually Ren was the one trying to avoid making small talk, not instigating it. For some reason, he wanted this cook to look favorably upon him.

"I do not approve of television." The chef said, speaking clearly for the first time. This surprised the tall actor. It was one thing to not like television, but to disapprove of it? Ren felt sudden very young. He hadn't met many old-fashioned Japanese citizens in his line of work. Not even his elder Japanese relatives were very old-fashioned.

"Have you not seen Mogami-san's acting then?" Ren asked, truly curious. The chef had paused his cutting, looking down at the half sliced daikon.

"I have seen her work on occasion. She is…a very dedicated young lady." For the first time in the conversation, the edge of his lips turned up in a minute smile before falling away almost immediately. Ren knew the chef felt strongly for the young girl by the sudden show of expression. He returned to his cuisine work.

"She is quite a special woman." Ren agreed, glad to be on safe conversational ground.

Surprisingly, the chef continued. His voice became more firm as he sliced the popular vegetable with infinite skill and speed.

"She does not fool around with silly things like gossip or romance."

Ren took a hard silent gulp. He wondered whether he had his intentions written on his face. What would this man say if he found out that the actor was trying to win the reliable and sweet Kyoko that had lived under their roof for all this time? He'd surely talk her out of it, even if Ren had been somehow able to charm her. Or perhaps the man would come straight for him. His ability with his chef knife looked refined enough to cut through something as soft as a suitor's neck.

The patter of two sets of feet came down the stairwell. He welcomed the distraction with a smile.

"Tsuruga-san. I'm sorry I didn't meet you outside."

"That's perfectly okay Mogami-san. I am quite early, after all."

His eyebrows raised in surprise. Today ensemble was almost the polar opposite of yesterday's outfit. Everything from her oxford boots, to her ruffled black shirt and dress pants were black. She even had painted her nails with the colour. If her hair were still black from playing Mio, he would have taken her for one of dark Lolita girls.

"Mogami-san…are you feeling okay today?"

"Of course Tsuruga-san." She must have a reason for the outfit. "I'm sorry to have held you up."

He turned to her caretakers and smiled. "I will drive her home tonight, so please do not worry."

They said their goodbyes, and exited the restaurant side by side.

The matron of the Darumaya turned to her husband in a small romantic sigh. "Tsuruga-san seems so nice, picking up Kyoko-chan so early in the morning to bring her to work."

Her husband grunted in acknowledgment, and went to working on the radishes. He had an minuscule smile. She really was a special girl. No big shot actor would sweep her off her feet without his approval.

* * *

They both said very little on the drive. He had watched with the corner of his eye in curiosity. She closed her eyes and swung her body back and forth to inaudible music. Arching her the fingers on her left hand, she held the elbow high. With the right, she clasped the air, and ran her hand back and forth as if playing invisible strings. Every so often she'd hum a note out loud, catch herself, then apologize.

She reminded him of a sankyoku (1) member, playing the kokyu (2) for an important guest. He had planned to try and talk to her, and at least get her calling him by his first name like Yashiro had suggested last night. She looked so concentrated however, he didn't want to break her stride. She was acting like a true actress preparing for a part.

He had driven to Queen studios and parked before he had dared to say anything to her.

"Mogami-san? Mogami-san? Mogami-san?!" She finally snapped out of her reverie. "What is your new part like?" Ren asked, finally breaking the silence.

She put a finger to the side of her lips, thinking carefully how to phrase it.

"The song is very…haunting. I'm a couple of parts. Mainly I am trapped princess, mourning and playing the cello."

"Mogami-san, a cello is much bigger than what you've been pretending to play." He had slipped into senpai mode. "You look like you're playing the kokyu. You have to space your limbs apart more, and look like you're wrapping your arms around something a bit more broad."

"Like this?" She widened her arms, curved them, and hunched over. He couldn't help letting out a small laugh. Inadvertently she had mirrored the shape of a confused, itchy baboon.

"You look a bit like a monkey, patting your head and scratching your stomach." She gave him an annoyed look. "Here…"

Ren reached over the car, and put her body in the proper position. He made her lift her elbow up, and fumbled with her fingers until she held an imaginary bow properly. Putting his hand on top of hers, he guided her wrist across unseen threads, slow at first, and then faster.

He looked up to see how close he was to her face. Her eyes were still cast down, watching to make sure her fingers kept at the proper angle. He could see her lashes, and a peek of her gold iris between them. Her breath was sweet, and he wondered what he should do. Before her could do anything however, Kyoko looked up. She backed her head away immediately, and turned to the side.

"Ts-ts-turuga-san! I'm sorry!"

He swiftly pulled away before he scared her more. He turned on his false smile.

"That was pretty good, but you'll get the feel of it when you actually hold one."

"H-hai! Thank you!"

She shut the door with a snap, and ran to the entrance. He sighed. Senpai Ren was not going to be the one to win her over.

* * *

"She looks so cute!"

"Yeah! Like a Victorian doll! I want to take her home!"

A guy snickered next to them. "I wouldn't mind taking her home either."

Much of the staff wrapped around the stage, watching the scene with mounting interest. Yashiro and Ren entered the studio, looking for the young actress. His manager had been berating him all day for what took place that morning. He vowed to never tell the truth again.

"Excuse me," Yashiro caught the attention of the nearest stage hand. "Have you seen Mogami Kyoko? She's an actress about this high, has gold eyes, and sometimes acts as if possessed?"

He nodded almost immediately and pointed towards the center of the crowd.

Ren looked worried at the mounting group of people. He could see the director's chair peaking through the gaps in the crowd. "Is something wrong?" he asked the employee.

"No no, I think the director is just testing her. That girl, she was practicing the cello on breaks all day today. She had sounded awful this morning, but now she's moving the bow over the strings like she's been playing it her whole life."

The director's voice cut through the air, catching the men by surprise.

"Mogami, again! You look pretty and sad, but I want you to pour your beauty and your unhappiness through the music. I want you to be the shell the sounds are using to escape!"

Adjusting his view through the crowd, he spotted her on the set. It was sparsely decorated three-sided box. There were several false windows, water droplets and lighting flashes set to loop. It would have looked like a serious storm was just outside if it weren't for the lack of thunder. The walls were crinkled and beige, lit with two prop wall sconces. All along the floor were ragged books. Right in the middle, sat her.

The Victorian full white dress and fingerless lace gloves looked detailed, even from the distance they were at. The pale material set off by her auburn curled wig, matching the shade of the cello between her hidden legs. Those two items were the only real splashes of colour on the entire stage. It made to be a very frilly and modest outfit, something out of her princess fantasies. Ren could see why she had called her character a princess. She didn't look to be enjoying it though. Her eyes were as black as his, as she raised her bow and got into position once again without comment.

"Action!"

(3) She slowly guided the bow across the string; its first note setting the tone for the entire moment. A collective breath were held. Although her body moved, she looked like a doll, set on puppet strings. Her eyes were listless and empty, as she rocked her head side to side. The cello played as if the instrument were pleading to be let go.

Her hands became like blurs on the instrument as the solo went on. Frenzied fingers moved up and down the fingerboard, evicting a ghostly tune that sped up. The notes felt like frantic cries; the cello rocked on its endpin with her body. The notes got higher and higher, reaching a final summit before she pulled her bow away.

"Okay! Cameras, we need you in for a close up this time. Make especially sure to get the moment of her hands."

The tune couldn't have been more than twenty seconds, but the scene had held him spellbound. Yashiro nudged him in the ribs.

"This is not the time to be captivated. You can't just admire her anymore. You need to move."

This was not a productive first day.

******

* * *

"**Sankyoku** is a type of three-member Japanese traditional musical ensemble."

"The _**kokyu **_is a traditional Japanese string instrument, played with a bow."

If you're curious on the part Kyoko is supposed to be playing on the cello, please look up Kanon Wakeshima – Still Doll. The instrumental piece is right in the middle, about 1:25 minutes in. It wasn't the PV I was originally planning, but for some reason the idea stuck when it got shuffled onto my playlist. I'd like Kyoko to dabble in the world of music a bit.

I'm planning for this to have seven more chapters. Please review...I hate pleading...but they feel like Ren's warm smile...


	6. Day Two: Realizing Repercussions

Ren rubbed his temples, taking the stairs up to his apartment. His feet dragged. He had bad days before. Before finding his Katsuki, there were a few bad days. When he first came to Japan, he had months worth of bad days. Today weighed in his mind unlike all others though. For the first time since arriving to Japan, his acting had failed. Not by his own problems, but by outside circumstances. It was more frustrating than anything, and it weighed him down.

Yesterday was a semi-normal day. He was working on a TV drama. Staff and actors there were all showbiz veterans. They had both complained loudly about the depreciation of media and made fun of the rag magazines. They never paid much attention to the gossip columns, and he was there to enjoy their silence all day. One of the employees had actually came up to him and encouraged him. "I doubt that I need to tell you this sir, but the staff wants you to know; even if you were gay, you're still the best actor out there Tsugura-san and that's all that matters." Everything had ran smoothly, even if there hadn't been much success on the matter of his kohai. He almost forget about the rest of the world.

Today he had given some publicity interviews, and he had a model shoot for a new cologne. It was his first day back in the public eye as Tsuruga Ren. He was reminded that the acting world was not all about talent and skill.

When he entered the new studio, the set was much more subdued than he expected. He was use to excited whispers of the female staff members, but instead of squeals, whenever he walked past they broke out in tears. He could catch phrases like "such a shame" and "all the best ones." The men however, openly snickered at him. He wouldn't crack under their jest, he had dealt with jealous comments of men almost all his life.

It was his job that got under his skin. By the end of the shoot, he was feeling more than a little frustrated. No matter what he did, the director had asked him for "more masculine," and told him he looked too "poised" and "soft." He had several wardrobe changes, but all the outfits picked the photographer had casted off as too "floaty." Several hours of shooting had past, and the director wasn't happy. He told Tsugura that he wouldn't need to worry about coming back to re-shoot. He said he would pick the best out shots, but the actor knew he probably was going to find another assuredly straight male model. It was the first time he was taken off the job in a long time, and it hadn't lost its sting.

The interviews hadn't gone much better. He didn't realize how many ways an interviewer could ask "Are you homosexual?" and hear "No, I'm not" as "Maybe, you should keep asking." Ren's cheeks hurt from holding his gentlemanly smile for so long. He never thought Actor X would be a welcomed reprieve from his main stage name, but it was.

Yashiro however, took the day much better than he expected. When Ren had asked for energy bar for lunch, Yashiro left and took about forty minutes to get back. He had asked where his manager had gone all that time, but the only response was "traffic" and a suspicious smile.

In the car Yashiro had complained loudly about the narrow-mindedness of the industry, but he always turned the conversation over to Kyoko in one way or another.

"Wouldn't it be nice to have Kyoko-chan make you a bento box? I'm sure the rice would have a pink heart and everything."

"That soda they had in the studio was pretty good. Kyoko-chan was in that soda commercial, wasn't she?"

"It was nice talking to Kyoko-chan. She gets prettier every day."

"You should appeal to Kyoko-chan's sensitive side. She likes taking care of you."

The simple mention of her seemed to perk his manager up, but for once, he frowned at the thought of her. Whenever he thought of her, he thought of the stupid challenge. He had worked so hard to get ahead in this field. He had meant what he said about not wanting to push Kyoko into anything, but he also didn't want to go back home over something as stupid as this. Acting was a part of him as much as her presence was. If he failed this, he could kiss everything he worked for goodbye. For the first time, he wanted to call his father and ask for advice.

Ren entered his apartment, surprised by the scent of the dinner wafting through the air. He looked down by the doorway and spotted a small pair of fashionable ruby heels already there, used but well kept. Ren remembered those heels vividly, walking down the straight line as he had taught his model to do. His lips curved in a small smile.

"Tadaima," Ren said, making extra attention to shut the door loudly enough for her to hear. He felt a bit strange saying that in his own apartment, but it had a strange pleasance as it rolled off the tongue.

"Okaeri" Kyoko responded, popping her head from out from the kitchen. "I hope you don't mind hot pot. I thought it would be nice with the frigid weather lately. Yashiro-san let me borrow a key and told me to make sure you ate properly tonight."

_Of course he did… I gave him that key in case of an emergency…_

Ren sighed at his manager's antics, and she visibly deflated. "Do you not like hot pot Tsuruga-san? I could make something else if you'd like."

"No no, Mogami-san. Hot pot sounds delicious. You're right about how cold it's gotten recently." He took off his jacket and hung it up, before joining her in the kitchen. She was wearing a chef's apron, and several pans were on the stove. "You really didn't have to do this however."

"I wanted to. Yashiro-san says you've slipped back into eating only energy bars and convenience store snacks. You need to take care of yourself properly Tsuruga-san, or you'll get sick again." She frowned at him, and he found himself chuckling. She was a bit like a mother hen. Always worrying about what he ate. It felt good to smile again.

He watched her finish frying some omelets before wrapping them expertly into two bento boxes.

"_Wouldn't it be nice to have Kyoko make you a bento box? I'm sure the rice would have a pink heart and everything!"_

He shook his head at his managers words and peered into tomorrow's lunch. It was quite expertly made, but the rice was all white in both settings. Apparently she wanted to make sure he and his manager ate well part of tomorrow too. He pulled back and watched her lean over to taste the broth. Her pale white neck peeked through her growing hair.

The Emperor flickered beneath his skin. He wondered what she would do if he snuck behind her, pulled her back into his embrace, and kissed her neck? If he did that, he could win her over. He was well experienced with women. He could claim her as his own.

Mentally, he smacked himself. This was Kyoko he was thinking about. She probably throw the pot of hot broth on him, and run like the wind. He'd deserve it too.

"Do you need any help Mogami-san?"

"I'm almost done." She said, stirring the pot. "Feel free to rest."

"I'll set the table then."

The tinkle of dishes and pots were the only sounds that filled the apartment. The silence was comfortable, and he was distracted by the meal once set out on the table. He forgot how wonderful of a cook she was. His appetite always increased when it was something she made from scratch. Having her there felt calming, like balm on a fresh burn.

"How'd the taping go today, Mogami-san?" He asked her, looking up from his mostly empty plate.

"Quite well, thank you. Director Sato is quite a perfectionist, but she seemed very pleased." Kyoko smiled as she usually did after a hard day's work. He felt his heart lift.

"How did you learn to play the cello that quickly?"

"I don't know how to play the cello. I only learned how to play that part of the piece." She held up her hands and crossed them repeatedly in denial.

He shook his head. "You played it like a professional. It was quite impressive."

"Wakeshima-san showed me how she played during breaks. She's very pretty, kind, talented and a good teacher."

"Still, one doesn't go from not knowing how to hold a bow to playing a complicated piece like that." He pressed on. He wasn't sure why he did, but Ren felt like there was something hidden beneath her shy answers. She sighed.

"I use to spend a lot of time at an inn in Kyoto. They had a sankyoku every so often to come play for the most important guests. A few times the players would show me how to use their instruments in the garden."

His eyes widened. He remembered how she pretended to play the cello in the car. So she was remembering her childhood.

"Oh, I see. So you were use to a bow and strings instrument. Did you enjoy it?" He asked. Her smile returned.

"Very much. I especially enjoyed the sound of a Shamisen."

"Did you ever dream of being a professional musician?"

The silence was louder this time, much more pronounced. It didn't feel quite like an inquisitive pause. Her face showed the pain of a person remembering a long buried, painful past.

"When I was little…I remember walking down the street to school. I saw a geisha. I remember wanting to be one…"

_A small child walks along a paved road alone, holding a large plain black umbrella obviously too big for her. She holds it sideways, using it to try and shield herself from the heavy rain and the gusts of wind. Her forest green school uniform and long black twin tails are already soaked, and she's near tears. _

_Lost in the worsening storm, she starts to cry, and wipes her wet cheeks away with one of her damp sleeves. In her other hand, the umbrella is batted by the wind, and ripped from her fingers._

"_Oh no! Mother's umbrella!"_

_She chases the black object down the street, splashing through piles of muck and puddles. Her small arms reach for rain shield, but the blustery weather lifts it above her grasp. It ripped on branches and finally gets stuck between against a window at a large inn._

_The young girl goes up to the fancy door, and calls out. Hearing no answer, she lets herself in to retrieve her mother's umbrella._

_Standing in awe, she drinks in the sight of the tall graceful woman at the end of the long hallway. The woman is painted white, with a complicated hairstyle, ruby red lips, and dressed in long flowing material. Her voice sounds like the tinkle of bells, and the small female is mesmerized. After experiencing nothing but the basics all her short life, the woman down the hall is like a colourblind child seeing a rainbow for the first time._

_She doesn't notice the little boy, pale from sickness, come down the side stairwell. He sees the small girl, and then looks to see what she's staring at._

"_Haven't you ever seen a geisha?" The boy asks, snapping her back to reality. _

_He saw women dressed like that all his life. He didn't think anything special about them. Their music was so boring and all they did was talk about how cute he was._

"_No. What's a geisha?" The girl asks curiously, looking at the boy in eagerness._

"_Well..." The young boy crossed his arms and lowered his head in thought. "She's like a pretend princess. She wears makeup, plays music, and acts pretty."_

"_Wow," the young girl awed in amazement. She glanced again at the painted breathing figure, being led out of view. "A princess must be extra amazing then!"_

"_Don't you even know what a princess is?" The girl shakes her head in confusion. "You don't know anything, do you?" The boy smiled, opening the door wider. He didn't get to meet many children his age at the inn. She looked dirty and seemed dumb, but nice. "I'm Fuwa Shoutaro. You can call me Sho. What's your name?" _

"_Mogami. Mogami Kyoko," she said brightly, a large smile blossoming over her young face. "Nice to meet you, Sho-chan!"_

Everything started sliding into place now for him. Her love of makeup. Her perfect posture. Her skilled bows, the expertise at performing traditional tea ceremonies, and the ability to hide her discomfort in a professional setting.

"Did you ever think of joining a kaburenjo?_" _Ren asked, breaking her mental trip down memory lane.

She nodded her head, her eyes downcast.

"You need to have…parental approval in order for a geisha house to accept your application. My mother…wasn't supportive on the idea." Her voice trailed away. She took a moment to compose herself, lifting her head with a forced smile. "That's okay though. I wouldn't have been very good at it anyways. I had lots of fun at the inn and it was like training in a way."

Standing up, she started clearing away the plates and returned to the kitchen.

He had pushed too much. Ren wanted to apologize. He could go in there and hug her, which would get her mind off things, but probably give her an aneurism. He could laugh it off, like he had with the Valentine's debacle. That was too cruel. He'd think of something to make it up to her.

"Mogami-san?" He called, deciding.

"Hai Tsuruga-san?" She called from the kitchen, above the sound of water rushing.

"Call me Ren."

He heard only silence, and then the breaking of dishes.

****

* * *

_kaburenjo_ -- a school dedicated to the training of geisha.

I personally think it makes sense, but feel free to disagree. This was suppose to be a comedy, but things turned out so serious!


	7. Day Three: Amicus Curiae

Yashiro rubbed his hands together as he waited outside his apartment building. The morning air was frigid, and he could see his breath, but he wasn't cold. He beamed at nothing as he waited for the familiar silver car to pick him up. His excitement was enough to keep his blood pumping. He knew Kyoko had been over Ren's house for dinner. Yashiro had made sure of that. All Ren had to do was lure the sweet girl, and officially become a couple. It would solve the whole rumour issue, put that Fuwa boy in his place, and everyone would be happy. He tried to imagine Ren smiling at a love struck Kyoko, but failed. His brain couldn't wrap around the idea of a typical, goofy, loving smile from his charge nor a charmed look from the actress.

Being Ren's manager over the years was pretty boring, Yashiro admitted to himself. He would plan everything out, Ren would make all of his appointments, and the days would repeat. It wasn't that he didn't like his job, or Ren for that matter, it was just that there wasn't any variety. He was too busy to conduct his own social life outside work, and the actor didn't seem to have one either. He'd be dropped off, have dinner, catch up on his secret anime collections, and head to bed. Now that Kyoko was in the picture, life had become so much more interesting. He felt like he was living in a manga.

As the car pulled up, he spotted two bento shaped boxes on the passenger seat. His smile widened. Yashiro entered carefully, putting the lunch boxes in his lap. Now all he had to do was weasel some answers. He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and grinned.

After the past couple of months, Yashiro worked out an intricate method of getting yes or no answers from Ren.

"Are these from Kyoko-chan?"

The car remained silent. That meant yes.

"Are these for both of us? She's so kind." He looked at his charge with a sly smile. "Is there a heart shape in yours?"

"Yashiro…" Ren said forebodingly.

Ah. That was a no. Any sort of warning, verbal or non-verbal, was a thumbs down.

"Did you make any progress?"

Silence!

"Did she stay the night?"

The driver glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. Yashiro winced. That was a big no.

"Is she calling you Ren at least?"

The lack of noise spurred him on. His eyes got wide and his voice grew excited.

"Really? You didn't have to scare her into it?"

No noise. His excited face began to fall.

"You scared her into calling you Ren…didn't you?"

The driver said nothing still. Yashiro sighed and sat back into the chair. He could already imagine what happened. Ren probably asked her to call him Ren, she probably froze and complained that she couldn't do it as his kohai. He insisted. She insisted. He gave her the show smile that scared her so much while insisting again. She gave in.

Well, that was at least small progress he reasoned. She needed to see Ren as more than just a senpai for anything meaningful to happen. This was the third day, and Ren's schedule was so packed he wouldn't be able to see her today.

"President Takarada called me last night. He wants to meet with you after your appointments. I think he wants to discuss the rumor. I couldn't hear him well over the trumpets."

Ren sighed. Yashiro sympathized. President Takarada was a wild card, and he wasn't sure how the meeting would go either.

* * *

Aki Shoko had never seen Sho in such good spirits before. She thought she had seen him happy after Valentine's Day, but lately he had been besides himself in glee. The young teenager would nod his head as in confirmation to whatever he was thinking, whistle his favorite tunes, and give huge goofy grins that were terrible for his image. Whatever it was though, it was causing a problem for him, and by association, to her. She was ninety percent sure that it involved a famous actor's recent rumours, as he had no contact with his childhood friend. Those were the only two entities she'd seen in his life that would make him come off his superstar cloud and act human.

The sound managers shook their heads as they listened to the blond boy sing within the booth. Frustrated, she leaned over and pushed a button on the soundboard. The microphone turned on, and she leaned towards it, exasperated.

"Sho, we can hear you laughing through the mic again! You have to keep a serious face. Can you do that?"

The band stopped playing behind him, also annoyed. They hadn't been able to get through one song, and hadn't a lunch break. The young musician voice trailed off, his face cool and his eyes narrowed. He looked down his nose at the two-way mirror.

"What do you mean? I'm…not…"

He dropped his headset and ran to the padded music wall, banging his fist and clinging to his abs.

"He's a freaking fairy! Bwahahaha!"

She sighed and rubbed her temple. She was ninety-nine percent sure now. "Wrap it up guys. We'll run through it again tomorrow."

All the employees shuffled out of the record studio, muttering collectively. They left the star huddled in the corner, still laughing hysterically. His manager entered the sound booth once everyone left. She loomed over him, standing tall in her heels. He looked up at her angry eyes, and her arms crossed over her ample chest. His laughter lessened.

"Sho, you have to get over this. It's very unprofessional. What does Tsuruga Ren's silly rumours have to do with you?"

Usually, the name of the number one Japanese actor would get him straightened up. Whenever a radio program or television show mentioned him, Sho would clam up, and get haughty. If she said he was lagging behind the actor, Sho would get serious to try and prove her wrong. It was almost cute in its own immature way. This time, he broke out in another round of laughter.

"What is so damn funny?" She was really getting annoyed now. It was not her taste to curse.

He wiped his eyes in mirth. He sat on the floor, chuckling."It's not…it's not going to be a rumor soon."

"Huh?"

"He's going to admit it. I made it so that he'd admit?"

"How did you get that to happen?" She went from annoyed to confused in a few short seconds.

"Well, I made him bet…" he chuckled, "…that he could…" he chuckled again, "win over the no sex-appeal, plain Kyoko!"

He broke out in laughter and waited for her to start laughing too. She didn't. He continued on, spurring her.

"I said I'd apologize publically for whatever I did to her, but if he didn't win her over in a week, he'd admit he was gay! Isn't that funny?"

His manager bent her head down. He could feel the anger radiating off of her. Her feminine fists shook.

"Did you ever think Fuwa-kun…that if the media got hold of what you did to that girl…that you could kiss your fan base, and all of our hard work, goodbye?"

Sho laughed nervously. She could tell that the idea of losing the bet never crossed his mind. "No..but it's not like it matters…he can't win her over. No one can."

"And why not?" She asked flatly. She had a feeling she already knew his answer. There no end to his arrogance. Strangely, it calmed her down a bit.

"Because she's mine."

"Because she's yours…" Aki repeated, lightly scornful. "Tell me Fuwa-kun, why is she yours?"

"Because…I kissed her first." He sounded like a little boy, staking claim to a toy because he had grabbed it first.

"And what…do you think she has to come back to you? Do you think she'll throw herself at your feet now because you kissed her a few months ago? Tell me, has she done that yet?"

"Well no, but I'm sure I'm the only one on her mind…"

"What? Because you were her first love and her first kiss? Ha! I can't even remember the face of my first kiss!" She leaned down and poked him hard in the chest. "Let me tell you something Fuwa-kun. She's in show business now. I _know_ show business. She's going to be kissing men all the time now! I thought you still had feelings for her but apparently you think you own her."

His face looked shocked. Kyoko kissing anyone other than himself was apparently too far removed from his perception of reality. She went on, infuriated by his immaturity.

"You sent Tsuruga Ren after her. **T-s-u-r-u-g-a Ren!** The number one bachelor on the island of Japan! You threatened him even, handing her on a silver platter. He's beaten you in popularity at every public poll the media has taken! You think he hasn't charmed women before just because he's a gentleman? You took her first love and first kiss. Do you want to know what first he'll take if he wins Kyoko over?"

Sho's face paled.

"Exactly. Now, come on. I have to make a few calls to try and scratch over this stupidity of yours. I could care less what happens to your pride right now, but your fame is my duty." She grabbed him by the scruff of his collar, pushed the door open and dragged him out. His cute act was really grating on her nerves. He let himself be dragged, lost in thought.

* * *

"Company, halt! Attention!"

The three men (or, more descriptively, two men and one dressed soldier) fell into a horizontal line at the president's opening doors. The usual stylish president's office was "decorated" in camouflage colours, tents, camp grounds and false trees. Standing on top of a sandbag hill was Lory Takarada. His military suit was well pressed, his boots shined, and his hat was as rigid as his stance. He had his back to the door, looking out over the landscape of Tokyo. He addressed them without turning.

"Yashiro-san. I'd like to speak with Tsuruga-san alone, if you don't mind. This will be quick."

Yashiro bowed. "I understand. I promised to meet with Sawara-san anyway. Please excuse me." He gave his partner a look, and left the room. The soldier/butler followed, and closed the door after Yashiro departed. Ren watched the President's back, waiting.

"Ren, I'm so proud of you!" Lory spun around, grasped his hands, and wiggled his hips. "This explains so much!"

Ren looked at the president as if he had gone insane. The president shrugged like an American.

"What? You're not gay?" His voice dropped, serious. "You're certainly not fighting it off."

"I have." Ren's voice was composed. "I have denounced the rumour numerous times. Today, Yashiro booked me on several…"

"Ren!" Lory barked. His words were of pure business. "Words mean nothing in this industry! You must _show_ them to convince them. You may not have had to deal with a scandal before personally, but you should know this as a veteran of the acting world." He turned his back again. "Go. We will handle this. I will book you on dates with…"

"Wait!" Ren's voice cracked.

"Wait?" His voice paused, curious. He had never heard Ren's voice crack before. The president's eye looked back at the tall man still standing at the doorway. "Why? Do you already have someone in mind?"

Ren stayed silent. The president smiled a cautionary smile.

"Alright Ren. I will give you a bit more time to sort this out yourself. However, if you don't, I will send someone in myself. If you fall, I will not help you back up again. You are dismissed."

****

* * *

Amicus Curiae: "a legal Latin phrase, literally translated as "friend of the court", that refers to someone, not a party to a case, who volunteers to offer information on a point of law or some other aspect of the case to assist the court in deciding a matter before it."

I've several papers and work due this week, so don't be surprised if I don't update this as fast as I usual do.

*cry* And this chapter I made a big mistake. I woke up and looked at my reviews with bleated eyes, wondering what everyone meant. Then I spotted it. So Sorry! That's what I get for posting past midnight,


	8. Day Four: Samurai Corn

Yashiro sighed in exasperation. "Okay, it has to be around here. Sawara-san told me she's working at DK Studios tonight, and the receptionist said it was right past the corner." Both actor and manager wandered around the large building, determined to find their destination.

"Look, they're entering Studio DK." Yashiro motioned towards a door with a parade of small girls. Security members ushered various groups of squealing young school children into a studio. Ren was surprised. There weren't many live shows especially for kids anymore. He noticed that the girls were carrying spinning light up toys, streamer wands, and wearing headpieces. He wondered what sort of show Kyoko had signed up for.

"We should cut to the front." Yukihito told his charge with confidence. "We'd look strange standing in a line of school girls."

They walked towards the double swinging doors, flanked by two staff members. Tsugura lowered his head, shielding his face with the baseball cap. He definitely didn't want to be spotted. Two burly men stepped in front of them before the two men could enter.

"Sorry sirs. We only allow girls from six to ten for filming."

"Oh, we're not here for filming." Yashiro laughed dismissively. "We're here to see Kyoko."

"I'm sorry. Girls will come out to sign autographs after the show." One of the security men said, shaking his head.

"But, we're with LME!" Yashiro said surprised; he wasn't use to being denied entrance with his charge in tow.

Ren knew name dropping was common in stardom, but it was not something he enjoyed doing without good reason. He had only done it a few times in his career, when he had no other choice. It was for Kyoko though. That was reason enough. He took off his hat with a smile.

"Can't you make an exception just this once?" Ren asked, glowing. The guards' eyes widen. One guy hit the other.

"You're that famous gay actor!" "Yeah yeah! Tsugura Ren!" Ren's smile remained, but his eye twitched. He wasn't about to be ungrateful and rebuke them as they debated in bending the rules.

"Sure sure, come in." They ushered in the two adult men into the acting space.

It was surprisingly large area. It was a (1) revolving stage as well, which was usually only used in professional theatre. He could see the grooves of trap doors in the floor, and staff in the rafters. This was obviously a very big, well funded live show. Ren smiled. She certainly was making progress now.

The announcement system turned on overhead. "Please find your seats. The Future Girls will be starting in a few minutes."

The high pitched giggles and squeals were almost deafening in the crowd. He made way to the very top end row of bleacher seats, where he could stay anonymous shrouded in dark. At least, he would have been, if the only other grown adult male (his manager) wasn't waving his arms squealing with the rest of the young girls around him.

"I can't believe it Ren! It's the Future Girls!" His eyes sparkled as he looked at the unenthused performer in excitement. "I can't believe we were actually able to get in! So many people would be jealous!"

He gave his manager a look. "Like Maria?" Ren quipped sardonically.

"They have a huge following of children _and _adults." He gave Ren a disappointed look. "Since you're so woefully out of touch with media, I will explain it to you. There are five girls, Strawberry, Grape, Peach, Lemon, and Melon. They've all come here from the future to save it from certain destruction by the Root Brothers. They are (2) Ninjin, Kabu, Negi, Nasu and Goya. They want the girls to become their brides, but because the girls refused, they want to take over the world and hold it for ransom. It's really unfair."

Yashiro dabbed at his eye. Ren, looked at his manager as if seeing him for the first time.

"Also, poor Peach is looking for her Corn!" Ren sputtered. Yashiro nodded, mistaking it as a sound of compassion. "Isn't that so sad?! He's a samurai she once met on her travels back in time, that she fell in love with. She calls him her Japanese boy."

The theme music started. Smoke billowed from the stage and multicolored lights swirled. "Don't worry Tsuruga–san." Yashiro shouted over the melody. "I'll tell you what to say and do." The conversation broke as they turned to the stage.

"_We are…"_

"THE FUTURE GIRLS!" The audience shouted.

Sparks flashed from the ceiling, and rained down on stage. Ren slightly jumped, but it didn't seem to surprise anyone else.

"_Diamonds and castles"_ A typical long, raven haired beauty emerged from the smoke. She wore a violet ballerina ensemble, and spun a purple ribbon in the air.

"_Heroes, kings and battles" _A cute short girl with short messy green hair followed. She was wearing an emerald soccer jersey, short shorts, and posed wielded a long sword.

"_A world full of shiny stones and pearls."_ A blond with big bouncy curls came out next. She wore a fluffy, short yellow dress and a glittering headpiece, which she took off and brandished as a boomerang._  
_  
_"Times are now changing." _A red head around Maria's age skipped out, wearing a strawberry print bathing suit and a green swimming cap. She spun two glowing batons expertly, and also posed.

"_All of this means nothing."_ He spotted Kyoko immediately. She had round glasses on, and her hair was braided in long thick pigtails. They hadn't changed much about her facial appearance. The only thing that was different was her attire and her demeanor. She held a peach book to her chest and gazed shyly at the audience.

"_In this crazy universe…Cause we're the future girls!" _The five girls sang together._  
_

They continued lip-syncing the English theme song as they danced and made attack poses. The audience cried out their perky approval.

Ren understood immediately why the studio limited the audience to only young female girls. The clothing was much too skimpy to really be intended as a children's show. Her pleated skirt was cut much too high, the blouse was thin, and the strappy heels she wore rivaled Setsuka's. He frowned. If this was as popular Yashiro has said, which it was sure to be with those outfits, there were more than enough Kyoko fans out there.

His manager turned to him as the song ended. "Okay, here's where Strawberry asks if we've been growing sweet? You have to say yes or they'll fly off to another time."

"Has everyone been growing extra sweet today?!" Strawberry giggled, as the cheering tapered off. The audience, including Yashiro, screamed yes.

"Good!" Melon gave the crowd thumbs up.

His manager leaned towards him and whispered. "Okay, here's where Lemon will doubt us. You have to say 'We have' extra enthusiastically."

Lemon crossed her arms, pouting. "I don't know that I believe you yet."

"We have! We have!" They yelled. Yashiro jumped up and waved his hands wildly enough that Ren had pull him back to his seat. The group of girls below him gazed back at the crazed man, and at his companion.

His manager turned again. "Okay, here's where poor Peach asks anyone if they've seen Corn. You have to stay silent or you'll give her false hope."

"Has anyone… seen Corn?" Peach asked, her voice soft, bashful, and genuine. Ren's heart pinched.

The audience went dead silent. The actresses pretended to look around as search lights roamed over the audience. He put his head down in hopes the light didn't capture the male shape in the corner.

"He's here! I found him! I found Corn!"

He looked up in alarm. A small girl was jumping up and down in front of him. And yelling in front of him. And pointing. At him.

* * *

The Future Girls was a mixture of live action and animation. The stage would rotate so the audience could see the anime. When the commercials showed, the girls would usually come up to the audience to talk and sign autographs. Most shows in front of live audiences operated the same way, so he had sat in the back in order not to distract her.

It was too late for that.

The spotlight caught him as he jumped over the stairwell handrail. He had tried to make a quick escape, but the doors were blocked off by security. The director, Mrs. Almqvist, had been very angry to find a male had been in her audience. Even one as famous as him. He wasn't sure it was either because she really cared about the image of her show, or that she was simply a fiery married Swedish woman that was impervious to Japanese charm, that she threatened him with everything from violence to a lawsuit.

It wasn't until Kyoko had retuned backstage and apologized for him as his kohai, had the foreign woman tapered off.

"I guess it is alright." The director sighed dramatically. "The cameras did not catch him after all, and we mute the audience when we need silence on the broadcast. You should not apologize for his actions. " The director smiled and patted her actress on the head.

She turned to him. "**You speak English, am I wrong? You do not look like a full-blooded Japanese man."**

Ren's jaw dropped but he recovered quickly. Kyoko looked at them in confusion. "**I do." **He responded.

"**You should not need a girl to have to defend you. Are you not a man?" **She snapped. **"You will make up for the mess you have caused."**

"**I will. I apologize again."**

"Kyoko," Mrs. Almqvist said to her, switching fluently back to Japanese, "you must go back before the segment ends. I will find something for _him_." She said him as if he were a ragged stray dog. The actress bowed her apologies to both of them and ran back.

While Kyoko had went back on stage to finish the show, the director spent the time berating him in English, and going through the costume closet. She had found him a pair of dark hakama samurai pants, and styled his hair as a short tied ponytail. She left his chest bare, and gave him a sword to wear.

"**You will play Corn. You will say as little as possible. Remember you are a samurai, in love with Peach. Do not mess it up."**

Kyoko bowed repeated backstage after the show, her eyes brimming with excessive tears.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! You shouldn't have wasted your time to come and see me. I don't have the right to call you by your first name. I'm sorry you have to do this!"

"It's my fault Kyoko." Ren sighed, as he fiddled with the prop sword at his belt. "It's lucky the director found this to work with. We just have to answer questions. I've done it before. It's not too hard."

She continued to apologize as they walked to the set together. He stopped at the edge of the curtain, thinking of something. Before he stepped on stage, he turned around, and kissed her on the cheek. "Thank you, Peach-chan." He smiled. She froze. The colour in her in face rose like pot of water coming to boil.

"Re-re-re-re-re" She stuttered. He put a finger to her lips to shush her.

"I'm Corn." He said simply, and stepped out into view.

When he went on stage, he had expected most of the audience to have gone. It had gotten late, and the actual show was over. Instead, everyone was still at their seats. The girls cheered and squealed as the couple entered the stage.

They were all young girls, and luckily for him they were more interested in their Peach than in some no line character. They asked him things like "Are you a real samurai?" and "Can you cut through anything?" It had been pretty easy, until the last questions had winded down the evening.

"Peach-chan? Aren't you happy your Corn is here?" A small girl called out in the back. Peach nodded, blushing.

"Are you going to marry him?" Another voice called. Peach shook her head, as innocent as a bride. "I'm afraid I have to go back to my own time. I cannot bring him."

The audience awed.

"Don't you love him?" Another voice perked up.

Her gold eyes widened, as she looked to her senpai. He smiled and caught her hand under the table, squeezing it lightly. Kyoko blushed, and re-entered her character.

"I do."

"Do you love her Corn?"

"I do." Ren said smoothly, looking at Kyoko.

"Will you two have babies?"

He almost lost face. Kyoko turned bright red.

Strawberry stood up, smiling at the crowd. "I'm afraid we have return to our own time now."

The crowd awed their disappointment. They started to make their way to the door, saying goodbye as all the actresses waved.

He noticed her blush, as she used her other hand to wave.

****

* * *

(1) "A revolving stage is a mechanically controlled platform within a theatre that can be rotated in order to speed up the changing of a scene within a show"

(2) Ninjin: Carrot

Shoga: Ginger

Negi: Leek

Nasu: Eggplant

Goya: Bitter Melon

Future Girls is a real song. Very peppy. Feel free to look it up. The director is also a real person, in that group. Smile dot dk, if anyone is interested.

Ugh. I spent all day writing this, and about one hour on my law paper due tomorrow. This chapter is as lengthy as my paper needs to be. *hangs head* It's going to be a long night. It was so much fun though.


	9. Day Five, Morning: Friendship

Kotonami Kanae had had friends before. When she was younger, almost all the girls in class use to play with her hair, and tell her how pretty she was. They would go window shopping together, and sometime stop after school for tea. She liked school, because it was so much calmer than being home in that mess of family members. Of course, it was annoying constantly being compared to her older siblings all the time, but it was something she could handle. Besides being from an unusually large family, and not taking part in drama club as much as she wanted to, Kanae was pretty at ease with her normal school life.

It had all turned when Naoto had a crush on her.

_She had been walking with a stack of florescent orange cones the teacher asked her to return to the storage closet, when she caught the sound of crying at the bottom of the steps. Kanae could hear her classmate Mina's sob at the bottom of the stairs. However, it was the sound of her friend Ai's voice that made her stop. _

"_Don't cry Mina. Naoto is just immature. He's not use to liking girls yet."_

_The sniffling voice stopped a bit. "That's not true. He said he likes someone else. I've seen him staring at Kanae-chan…" Mina returned to crying, cut off by her sorrows. A group of girls awed and tried to help shush their depressed classmate. _

_Kanae debated on going down to meet her friend. She didn't know Mina well, but it seemed only right. She put the gym cones to the side and took a step down the stairs, when her best friend Rina's annoyed voice caught her by surprised._

"_Kotonami thinks she's so cute."_

"_Yeah, just because she's pretty she thinks she can take all the boys for herself." Ai agreed, sounding frustrated. Mina began to wail louder._

"_Shush shush, don't cry Mina." The new voice sounded mothering. She realized that it was Chinatsu. Kanae didn't know her very well, except that she was the class president._

"_I say we find out who she likes, and tell him." Ai said suddenly, determined. The agreeing echoes of several female voices swept up the stairs._

"_We should say she's been kissing older guys after school." Chinatsu replied, her voice sounding sly._

"_You know her family is really poor from all those kids. She told me once." Rina said, proud to be able to dish something on her classmate. "I bet she she'll do anything to make money." _

_The group of girls giggled. _

She hadn't had a friend since then. Especially female friends. They were phony and untrustworthy. At home she never had a moment of peace, at drama club that rich snob took all the good roles she deserved, and during school there was no relief. She found herself acting when her classmates asked her anything.

"_Who do you like Kanae-chan?" Ai asked her, as they had they ate their bentos during lunch break. She looked over at the group of boys, and nudged in their direction. _

"_I don't like anyone." Kanae said confidently, as she picked up a small piece of omelet._

"_That's such a waste! You could pick any guy you want!" Rina cried, pointing her chopsticks at the pretty girl in their group. _

"_Rina-chan, that's rude. Don't point with your chopsticks." Kanae scolded._

"_But it's so frustrating!" Rina smacked her chopsticks to the desk, and pouted. "Plus, you sound like my bossy sister."_

She acted innocent when her teachers had asked her about how her siblings were doing. She acted happy when her parents asked her how school was. There almost wasn't anyone she failed to act around. She stayed attentive, picked things up as she went, and studied people. Kotonami Kanae was determined not to be tricked by anyone's acting again. She would become the world's best actress herself.

She felt a small nudge to her side by her companion. Kanae outwardly showed no change, but she returned her focus to the front of the class. "Now T" the professor shouted, looking away from the raven-haired Love Me member. Kyoko smiled brightly at Kanae before she turned back to the front of the class.

"Torawo torunara torawo toru yori toriwo tore, toriwa otorini torawo tore." (1)

Kanae scrunched her eyebrows together. That girl was so annoying. She had no right to save her from the teacher's wrath because she wasn't paying attention. She didn't want to be friends with the weirdo, but she wiggled her way into Kotonami's life.

"M next!"

"Sumomo mo momo, momo mo momo, sumomo mo momo mo momo no uchi." (2)

Despite her simple-minded nature, she was a better person than most. Even "Moko-san" was kind of cute in its awkward, obnoxious, immature, silly way. Kanae stole a glance at the Love Me member standing next to her.

"Last one! O!"

"Kono otoko no hontou no kokoro wo tokou to omou no yo kono otoko o korosou to omou no. (3)"

She realized something was very wrong.

Kanae turned and stared at Kyoko as the class was told to take a break. She watched at her embarrassing co-worker wipe her forehead with the back of her hand as the class shuffled out of the empty, mirrored room.

Kyoko noticed she was staring. She turned and smiled brightly back.

"Moko-san?"

Kanae crossed her arms. Her face darkened.

"Again! O!"

Kyoko stood up to attention like a soldier on a drill line. "Kono otoko no hontou no kokoro wo tokou to omou no yo kono otoko o korosou to omou no."

Kanae started circling her. "Now just the last part."

"korosou to omou no?" Kyoko said, her voice questioning her friend's antics.

"Yes. One more time."

" koro- (I…)"

"Sho" Kanae said simply, interrupting.

The room's atmosphere dampened immediately and considerably. The fluorescent lights began to flicker. Long sinister shadows emerged from the corners of the wall. The smaller actresses' face twisted into a furious sinister grin. _**"SOU TO OMOU NO (THINK I WANT TO KILL HIM)" **_

~Will kill him! Kill hIm! Yes yes, that man, we're sure we want to kill him…~ Her demons emerged around their master, encircling her and chanting.

Kyoko snapped back when she noticed her friend's furious face. She looked fearful as the spirits abandoned her, and joined their new mistress.

"Moko-san?" She squeaked. The look did not dissipate.

"You're hiding something from me again." Kanae whispered, her anger bleeding from each word of her cold, beautiful voice.

Kyoko continued to look fearful, but with a touch of confusion. Kanae sighed angrily and went on.

"That's your favorite line. I can usually feel the emphasis you put on those words. Yet, today nothing changed when you said it. It's like you've forgotten your goal. What's gotten into you?"

Kyoko brought her fingers together, spinning them around each other. She looked down at her hands as her cheeks lightly blushed. Kanae raised an eyebrow at this sudden evasive innocent act.

"You like him again?"

"_**NEVER!" **_Kyoko's face temporarily became a mix of a horned demon and furious siren, hair standing on end.

"Then tell me what's happened. Now." She left no argument.

"Well…" Kyoko brought her fingers together again, tapping them. "Tsu…" The classical ring of the school announcement system sounded from the ceiling speakers. They both looked up in curiosity.

"Will Mogami Kyoko, please come to the teacher's lounge? Again, Mogami Kyoko, please come to the teacher's lounge."

* * *

He scratched at his chin as he spun on the desk chair, unfamiliar with what it was like to not shave in the morning. Spotting a lollipop on the teacher's desk in front of him, he quickly snatched it. The few professors that remained in their lounge stuttered politely. He paid them no mind. Instead, he ripped off its protective plastic and popped the sucker into his mouth. He winced inwardly. He was not a sweets fan. Still, the look served him well. He didn't want anyone to spot him under the disguise.

The elderly teacher coughed, and tried again.

"You're…Mogami-san's manager?"

He ran his knuckles against his chin, bothered by the whiskers. Chewing at the stick, the tall man leaned back and smiled crudely. He put his feet up on the desk.

"That's what I said lady. Work came up, and I need her."

The old woman huffed, glancing angrily at the unwanted guest . There was a knock at the door. A fuzzy female shadow stood on the other side of the tapered glass.

"Ano…I was called?"

"Yes yes, come in Mogami-san."

Two figures slipped into the typical teacher's lounge. Both LoveMe member looked around the room, and caught the lethargic man in the corner. His hair was messy, he wore old, strangely cool looking torn clothes , and his eyes were shaded by green sunglasses. His army boots sat on the long wooden table. Still, the height and build was unique to only one person they knew.

"Tsuruga-san?" Kotonami said, before catching herself.

The man in the seat snorted in mocking laughter. Kotonami's face start to colour in anger. It did look a lot like the famous actor. His dialect was Kyushu though, thick, from the southern tip of Japan.

"That's new. Usually I hear that I look like that Kurusaka director guy."

The teacher bristled angrily at man, liking him even less. "Director Kurosaki is quite a talented director."

"Yeah, whatever." The man stood up and waved the teacher off with the bat of his hand. "Come on Kyo, we've work."

The tall man with coloured sunglasses opened the door and swept past all the figures in the room. He caught Kanae's eye for a split second. Kyoko stood frozen to the spot.

"KYO!" The voice barked.

"Hai!" Kyoko jumped, and ran out of the room behind him.

Kotonami frowned. That body screamed Tsuruga Ren. However, it was in the middle of the day. Even with the rumours, she knew the famous man should be booked through. The best actor in Japan had no time to be running around, playing manager. Especially not manager to his much less experienced kohai. Kanae thought back.

"Well…Tsu-"

Something was up, with both of them. For her only friend, she knew she had to find out what was going on.

* * *

(1)" Torawo torunara torawo toru yori toriwo tore, toriwa otorini torawo tore" "The reason I have leaned this bamboo against this bamboo fence is that I just wanted to lean a bamboo against it!"

(2) "Sumomo mo momo, momo mo momo, sumomo mo momo mo momo no uchi." "A Japanese plum is a kind of peach, a peach is also a peach, both Japanese plum and peach are kinds of peaches. "

(3) Skip Beat 20 - page 11

Ugh…I hat e writing but I wanted to get a new chapter out. I know I'm probably leaving more questions than answers, but it'll all wrap up. This day would be too long if I included it all at once.


	10. Day Five, Evening: Appreciation

**Apologies for the wait, and to anyone who caught this chapter when I uploaded it earlier this week. ****For anyone who read that chapter, you can skip this. **** The chapter is pretty much the same. ****Honestly I'm still not crazy about it, but I feel better about it now than I did earlier. (I even had a nightmare about my latest chapter; it was a sign for me to pull it.) I honestly felt like I _forgot_ how to write. Not that I was too lazy or too busy to, but that the words didn't connect. It's hard to explain. **

**

* * *

**

Kyoko followed 'her manager' at a submissive trot, keeping her head down as if walking to the gallows. She swayed side to side, as the environment around her grew dimmer. Glancing back, Ren could tell the school girl wasn't fooled. He hadn't expected her to be, after all, she had been able to see through his Cain disguise almost immediately. Still, the fact that her partner was able to see through it as well surprised him. He for one had been sure of his obnoxious get up, but apparently the Love Me girls were more observant than the average show business worker.

It was rare that he was able to walk freely like this, late afternoon on a weekday without any major appointments scheduled of him. The gossip magazines hadn't stopped running the story yet, and Ren found his usually packed schedule was lighter than usual. He frowned heavily at the thought. If things continued like this, the President would get involved. At least today, it had fit his plans.

Once they reached the front gate, Ren turned to his kohai. Realizing he had stopped, she put her arms up in deflection, waiting for the blow to fall. He frowned. She probably thought he came to berate her.

"Where's the nearest subway?" Ren asked simply.

Pulling her arms away hesitantly, she looked up and down the street in surprise and confusion. "Um, it's just north of here…but where's your car Tsuruga-san?"

"I don't have my car today…" Ren gave her the glittery smile he usually did, before he turned to senpai mode. She took several unconscious steps back, pressing herself up again the school fence post. "…and don't you think if you address me by that name, people might recognize me?"

Her face fell, as the thought dawned on her. She straightened up and cleared her throat. "Ano…Ren-sama?" His risen eyebrow showed his dissatisfaction. Her voice rose higher in fear. "Ren-san…?" "Kyoko…" Ren's voice held its common warning tone.

She looked away and murmured something indistinct.

"Excuse me?" Ren chuckled and leaned closer, putting his hand on the brick wall behind her. "I'm afraid I couldn't hear you Kyoko...or should I call you _Peach-chan_?"

Kyoko's face blushed, her mouth falling agape. She surprised him when she crossed her arms and turned her embarrassed face away from him. "If you call me Peach" Her voice sounded slightly annoyed now, and reminded him of when she was cast to be his edgy sister. "…I'll call you Corn."

A short silence slipped between them, as a car drove past. He kept his gaze on her, and she bit her lip in agitation. Finally, he broke the silence with an undistinguishable low "hmm." Her face fell, and she swiveled with the speed of a racecar. Bowing multiple times, she burst into comedic ashamed tears.

"I'M SORRY TSURUGA-SAN! I DIDN'T MEAN TO ACT SO ARROGANT!"

Ren smiled at her hysterical antics and pulled back. "Okay, call me Corn then." Kyoko paused suddenly, and looked up at him with a stunned face. "Really, I don't mind. I actually came today so I could treat you to an apology. If you want to call me Corn, it's fine with me." With an aloof attitude, he started striding up the block, leaving her behind in her shock.

"Wait..wait… Ren-san!" The young girl finally said his name in exclamation, and ran to catch up to him. He didn't turn around, but he smiled at the small success.

* * *

Ren easily walked through the busy streets, naturally parting the mass of people with his tall frame. He watched her nimbly weave her body side-to-side, trying to avoid the crush of bodies in the tourist section of Tokyo. He kept his stride short, so she could keep up with him. Kyoko petite height, along with her common hair colour could make her easy to lose in the mess of people. If he had to try to find her, he would have to call out to her; it would bring too much attention to the two of them.

"Look look! It's the Kyurara girl!"

"You're right, it really is!"

"Can I have your autograph?"

A small crowd of people spotted the young actress from the Kyurara commercial, still playing on one of the oversized advertisement screens. He paused when a few random strangers caught her in fan base excitement. Her school uniform did look somewhat like the commercial. Ren watched in light amusement as she signed autographs with a charming, self-conscious blush.

He hadn't said a word as they rode the underground railway together, though she had tried to apologize repeatedly. She only gave up when he turned to her with a false smile. Since then, she had stayed in arm's reach of him, but hadn't gotten too close. Ren purposefully turned down any conversation she tried to start. If he had said something, she might ask where they was heading to. If she did he'd have to tell her, and she certainly would have fought the whole way.

Ren stopped in front of an ordinary photo studio, and the small girl almost ran into him. Kyoko paused just in time, and caught her eye on the tiny business her mentor paused in front of. He walked in, and she followed curiously.

The entrance was a undersized, wood paneled room, neatly decorated with kanji wall scroll artwork. Small lanterns hung from the ceiling, and the only thing that stood in the room was a tall podium, and its mistress.

"Hello young sir, young lady." The middle aged woman bowed at her station. Kyoko's eyes widened as she drank the mature woman's powder white makeup, ruby red lips, elegantly knotted hair and deep red and gold robe.

"We have a four thirty appointment, under Mogami." Ren spoke smoothly, catching the look of her fascinated rapture.

"Is this the young lady?" The aging hostess asked with a polite smile. Ren nodded to the manager. He made sure to avoid eye contact with the curious actress, when she turned to him in confusion.

The older geisha took Kyoko's hand, and patted it friendly. "No need to nervous young lady." She slowly guided her guest to the hanging curtain. Kyoko followed her in meek bafflement.

He ducked under the cloth doorway and into the studio, following the women. It was much larger and better furnished than the outside had hinted. The interior reflected the style of Kyoto he remembered when he visited with his parents. Everywhere was light bamboo wood, and shoji sliding doors blocked other rooms from view. Along the ceiling hung classic Japanese kimonos in a multitude of colours. Dotted around the interior were standing fully garbed samurai statues, in a fighting position. A bamboo water feature clinked in the background. Photos of past geisha, full body and close ups, hung on the solid walls, showing the photo gallery's expertise.

Ren spotted a padded bench, and sat next to another visitor, watching as Kyoko was steered into a dressing room. A slightly overweight, balding sightseer looked up at the sudden company, and smiled.

"Another man, caught in the sitting area." The plump vacationer said jovially, after some time had passed. His english accent was thick, but he sounded friendly. The two men turned to each other for a quick moment, and the Japanese man smiled politely. "You waiting for your sister?'

Ren face lightly fell, and the gentleman let off a low deep laugh. He brought his heavy hand down on the young man's shoulder, and shook him with a sociable grip.

"I'm sorry. I expected you not to understand me. Where are my manners…"

"No no, there's no trouble." Ren laughed it off, and turned to face the chatty man with a nervous smile. "I am not waiting for my sister."

"Girlfriend then?" The visitor looked down at the other's ringless left hand. "Must be. No wife would let her handsome young husband walk around without their wedding band."

Ren just continued to smile, unsure what to say at the inquisitive male. The older man just chuckled deeply and continued, unperturbed at the silence.

"I remember when I was your age. Lucy was just as pretty as flower, and I had to do my best to win her over. Now look at us, old turkeys in a strange land, touring our last years away." He turned to face ahead, smiling. "Make sure you treat her right son. Girls are like princesses, all of them. They all deserve love, and to be treated as the gems they are."

Ren was saved a response as the hostess made her way to the chair. She bowed towards the waiting men, as they rose to their feet.

"The ladies are finished. Would you be so kind as to follow me?"

She guided them behind another pair of sliding screen doors, where a second geisha dressed hostess was waiting. She guided the British man down a hall. Ren watched the strange elder walk away, his words hanging in the air.

"Will the young sir follow me?"

Ren entered the small photography room, spotting his companion near the edge of the green screen. Kyoko entered the space slowly, taking small steps in her white tabi socks and zori straw sandals. She kept her hands together, at least that was what he presumed since the material hid her hands. His lips ticked up, as he stayed in the darkened corner in the back of the room.

Fully dressed up in the customary maiko garb, she reminded him of the traditional hina ningyo dolls. The rich kimono was a vivid blue violet, which draped around her small frame and contrasted with her snow white foundation. The material had blooming flowers outlined in an deep amber, which matched her eyes. The neckline was also the vibrant orange. He figured why she picked it. The garb managed to match her beloved gemstone in both hues.

Kyoko's eyes flickered to the corner of the room he was standing in. He pulled back deeper into the shadow. Her rose red lips were still, but her eyes shone as the photographer got into position. He watched the screen as they took full body shots, as well as close ups of her perfectly painted face. She kept as still and professional as if she were on another job, but her eyes flickered with something familiar.

His memory awakened as he looked into her gaze. The pale painted face morphed from a geisha doll to a small child, cheeks round with baby fat and eyes lit with fairy loving reverence. It was the same look she had given him when he was her beloved Corn, and had gifted her the magic gem to take away her pain. It was the same smile Kyoko carried when she thought of fairies, or her beloved prince Sho, who use to do no wrong.

He was struck on how much the small things meant to her, and found himself wanting to give more. Every precious stone, any over-embellished ballgown...Ren would track down the fairy world, if it could keep that smile on her face.

Once the photographer finished, he directed her to the small second exit that lead back to the changing room. She bowed in appreciation, then neatly walked off the stage and out the other side door. Ren kept back, lost in thought. He followed a good distance away, waiting at the end of the hall as she reentered the dressing room, and took her time to switch back into more modern clothes.

The original geisha came up to him, holding out a clipboard with all the photography packages the studio offered. Noticing the model photo, he picked up the wallet sized sample of the doll-like actress, and smiled warmly at her captured happiness. Her emotions seem to spill through, and he respected the photographer's skill of catching it.

Ren took the pen, and signed for the largest package with his address and bank information. The geisha bowed appreciatively, and took the form away for processing. Once he was alone again in the hallway, he pulled out his wallet, and slipped the 2.5 by 3.5 (6cm x 9cm) picture into one of its protective clear sleeves. Her photo looked up at him, and he paused for a moment before tucking it away.

Skipping happily out in her high school uniform, she spotting him at the end of the hall. Her walk changed as she came up to him, shuffling timidly.

"You shouldn't have done this Tsuruga-san..."

He couldn't help but smile at her shyness. It made him want to grasp her, and tuck her into a protective hold against him. Ren took his hand and brushed a remaining splash of white paint gently off her cheek. In response, her lips curled in a small smile. He felt vaguely pleased she hadn't automatically pulled away.

Kyoko stomach growled loudly, and she blushed. He caught himself laughing, and averted his hand to her own. He kept a gently firm grip as he started to pull her out of the establishment.

"Let's go _Peach-chan…"_

_

* * *

_

They sat at a nearby family restaurant, looking at their colourful picture menus. The excited chatter of the busy tables around them help camouflage the celebrity diners voices. Ren watched her above his menu, as she quickly ran her eyes over all the tempting options in front of her.

"Do you know what you're going to get, Peach-chan?"

"Hamburger steak, Corn-kun."

She pulled her eyes away from the menu, and gave him a rare wry look. He enjoyed baiting her, and the fact Kyoko was growing comfortable enough to joke around him made him secretly smile. Even with her freshly washed face of all the traditional white makeup, he could see the remains of the maiko smile in her. Every new side he saw of her attracted him.

When the waitress came up to deliver their drinks, he ordered two hamburger steaks, and smiled at her shock. He could read the look on her face, as the waitress started walking away.

"I wanted hamburger steak too." Ren stated quickly, cutting off her worries that he ordered his meal because of her. Before she could counter, he changed the subject. "Now, you surprised me with your live-action career. Do you like it?"

Kyoko face morphed from apprehensive, to contemplative. "I am pleased to get it. Moko-san said it should help remove me from the trap of only being cast for bad girl roles. The children in the audience are quite enjoyable to interact with too. Plus, we have cute props and Mrs. Almqvist is a firm but sweet director. We only film once a week and practice twice a week, so it leaves a lot of room for other roles." She smiled, and took a sip of the golden cola.

"What about promotions?" Ren asked curiously. Usually live action shows did conventions, and other publicity events. "You must meet a lot of fans. Are there any older ones like me?"

"A bit. I didn't expect there to be so many people in the older generation who liked such shows. Especially men." Kyoko laughed nervously. "We sign lots of autographs to men around our age. We also get a lot of gifts sent to us, signed with men declaring their love. I guess it's something to do with their children though." She blushed lightly, but smiled as the waitress returned with their orders.

"Itadakimasu!" Kyoko snapped her chopsticks apart, and began to cut into her steak.

Ren frowned as he followed suit. Some men, like Yashiro, were probably into the show for the shoujo storyline, blinded by the bright lights, j-pop, and cute poses. Other men probably did attend the promotions for their daughters' sake, just like she mentioned. Still, she wouldn't have blushed if it were only those types of men. The outfit flashed in his mind again, and he remembered the days he would browse the internet forums. He knew what men thought. There was no way the audience wouldn't consist of some questionable men, with carnal desires for cute actresses in adult outfits.

The chopsticks snapped between his fingers. Ren noticed she was looking at him, with a confused expression.

"Sorry, I just became a bit distracted. What were you saying Mogami-san?" He said with an innocent smile.

"Where did you learn English so well?"

He swallowed.

"Why do you ask?"

"Well, you spoke to Mrs. Almqvist with no trouble. You also didn't disagree with her when she asked you if you weren't 100% Japanese."

This topic of conversation wasn't quite what he wanted to talk to her about. She had addressed him as Mr. once, with an English accent, when she had acted for his father. To catch on to the conversation when her director had such a thick accent...His face was still, but Ren's eye mentally twitched. That old lady probably knew Kyoko could understand English. She probably wanted to berate him in a way that caught him off guard but still embarrassed him in front of others. The image of her smirking in his mind annoyed him.

His past was something no one knew about him in Japan, with the exception of one person.

She looked to the side in embarrassment, picking at a small part the hamburger steak left. The silence was stuffy, and he didn't know how to break into the conversation. Before he could speak, she beat him to it.

"You don't have to tell me Tsuruga-san. I'm sorry for prying."

Ren looked at the young women in front of him, as she played nervously with her food. She probably thought she overstepped her bounds again. Acting as if she was only his kohai. He made his decision. He didn't want her to believe she was only a fellow member in the business anymore.

"As you know, Tsuruga Ren is actually my stage name. I was raised in California. My relatives are almost all fluent English speakers. Japanese is actually my second language." He flicked his hair back. "This isn't even my real hair color."

Kyoko watched him with surprise, looking up at his hair as if expecting it to change colours like her stone.

"Plus…" Ren added, as he lowered his voice and looked around. Kyoko leaned in to hear him, curious. "I can fly…"

She pulled back and puffed her cheeks in exasperation. He broke into a rich laughter.

The bet wasn't worth it, he thought, as she went back to finishing her meal. He'd let the world call him what they wanted to, rather than risk this.

* * *

**Aw Ren. So sweet. He rather tell the world he's gay than hurt her. Anyways, next chapter Sho and Shoko should be back. I didn't forget about them.**


	11. Day Six, Part One: Regret

"Why are we here?" Sho drawled out apprehensively, as he looked up at the back of the lit LME office building in the night sky. His manager pulled into the nearest empty parking space, and brought the car to a standstill. Turning the engine off, she turned to her charge and sighed.

"Well I can't seem to get in touch with Yashiro Yukihito. Apparently they are quite tight with security involving numbers, and since I can't leave him a message about this topic, we're here. I heard he sometimes works from the office, and I still need to talk to him."

"Yashiro Yukihito? Who?" The musician asked, although not really caring now that he knew it was some name he didn't know. He folded his arms behind his head, and leaned back to rest. Management duties were always dead boring to him.

"That's the manager of the man you got into a bet with…"

Sho looked across at her before his eyes fell. "Oh…"

Ever since she had brought him down to earth in the studios, the music icon had become much more even-tempered about the thought of the two LME actors. He no longer laughed heartily at Tsuruga's expense when he overheard the rumors, and she caught him staring at his cell phone, verbally debating himself whether to call her. Regret was a new emotion in the limited expressions she'd seen Fuwa Sho have during her management career, especially for it to last as long as it had been in the teenage star.

He went to reach for the car handle, but she hurriedly grabbed his shoulder.

"This is still LME territory Sho. It's best if you're not seen walking around the building. Curious rumors may start. I'll go in by myself and get this all cleared up." Her disposition to her charge had long since calmed, since she had snapped at him a couple days ago. She wanted to show she was still on his side, though Kyoko had seemed like a nice girl.

He surprised her as he pulled back from the door, and nodded in understanding. She was expecting an argument. Normally he fought over things like this. He'd usually say something like "_I can handle my own problems!" _or _"Why do I have to wait here?" _The sudden maturity on his part made her worry more.

Once sure of his agreement, Shoko gathered her purse, and left her keys in the engine for him. Opening the door, she turned back to the young man sitting in the passenger side.

"Turn on the radio if you want. I shouldn't be long."

He closed his eyes and made a vague sound of acceptance. Shoko shut the car door behind her, and turned to enter the building.

Sho could hear her heels grow fainter on the sound of cement. He rolled over and tried to get comfortable on the plush leather seat. Typically he could fall asleep wherever he was. The dead of night was when he wrote his best lyrics, and during the day he was always being touted off for a performance, a recording, or just some publicity work. Any moment to grab some rest was generally a welcome one. The problem was that sleep hadn't been coming easily.

_Kyoko fell onto the expansive bed, tears in her eyes. Her hair was long and black, pulled back into the ponytail she was required to wear while working at the hamburger restaurant. Her work skirt was partially ripped, and the employee hat sat askew on top of her head._

_The tall looming man approached the girl with a predatory grin. His hands reached towards her, fingers wriggling in anticipation. She grasped her vest together in protection, as she turned her head away from the dangerous senpai._

"_No! Sho, save me!"_

_Tsuruga sat on the bed, and took a hold of the thrashing girl's waist. Pulling her close to him, he ignored her pleas and laid her down on the bed beneath him. The man turned back, to look at the invisible man behind. Ren's eyes flickered red, and his tongue lashed like a snake._

"_Thankssss Fuwa-ssssan…"_

_The room went black, as he heard her piercing cry._

"No!" Sho jumped up from the chair, gasping for air. He looked around wildly, taking in the stylish automobile's surroundings.

"A dream…just a dream…" He clenched at his long sleeved t-shirt, trying to calm his beating heart. The guilt started to eat at him, as the dream replayed in his mind.

"He wouldn't do that…he may be a pretty boy bum with long legs and a small face and number one in the rankings of most attractive celebrity but he…wouldn't…Kyoko…bed" He clenched his teeth as the thought invaded his mind.

"_Oh Ren-sama…We musn't! I want to save myself for my wedding day, since my first kiss was taken from me…" Kyoko the blond angel laid in the expansive bed. Her outfit fanned around her body as it had in the video, white as a virgin, but her eyes remained rich amber._

_A large hand sat on her shoulder, and slipped the material off. The actor exposed the ivory skin, and kissed it lightly._

"_My princess Kyoko-chan, I promise to be your new prince." Ren smiled at her with a predatory charm. She turned her head and blushed lightly._

"_Oh Ren-sama…" _

"NO WAY IN HELL!" The musician cried, shaking the resting birds around the nearby vicinity into flight. He started punching the dashboard of his manager's car, trying to release the sudden rage. His knuckles grew red as the leather interior started to relent under his furious assault.

"She wouldn't do that! He wouldn't do that! Why the hell did I make that stupid bet! DAMN IT!"

A rapping on the windshield made him stop in mid-punch. Looking through the corner of his eye, a bright pink jumpsuit captured his attention immediately.

_She wore that hideous outfit at the Prisoner video!_

He turned his head slowly, taking in the girl's cute visage, tall thin body, and attractive straight long black hair. Her irritated face stared back at him through the car window. Stunned, Sho pressed the passenger door control panel to roll down the window.

"Look kid, you're being too loud. I've been asked to tell you to cut it out, so shut up and wait for your parents like a good boy." Her voice was deadpan, and to the point.

Once she relayed her message, the fashion blight of a girl turned around, and left Sho bewildered. Her face looked so familiar, but he couldn't place it in his mind. He rewound his memories like a tape. Kyoko wore that pink trash bag once, before the video shoot. He had talked to his manager, about the actress that looked like Kyoko. He sat on a couch, flipping through the soda commercial that caught his attention….

Sho stumbled out of the car, slamming the door. He caught the girl's pink pant leg turning a corner, and took off after her.

"Wait, wait! You're that girl from the Kyurara commercial."

The girl didn't pause. Instead she sped up faster, walking through one of the LME employee entrances.

"Sorry, I don't sign photographs outside of publicity events."

Grabbing her arm, the musician pulled her back. She tumbled back, but caught herself before she fell. "Hey, get off of me!" Turning around, Kanae whipped her hand and struck it across Sho's pretty face.

He pulled back immediately, rubbing his cheek.

"Ow, what the hell was that for?" Sho mumbled, looking at the girl as if she were crazy.

Kanae stared at her stalker for the first time. His bright blond hair and ripped blue jeans reminded her of someone. Taking a closer peek, she tilted her head to get a better glimpse of his face.

"You're…Fuwa Sho?"

"Yeah…" the teenage boy muttered, still massaging the bright red mark across his face.

"Oh…well, you deserve it then." Kanae said with a note of unashamed finality. She turned and went back to walking.

"Wait..what?" The musician asked, confused. "I just need to talk to you." He was starting to like this chick less and less.

"You grabbed me like you knew me. I don't like pretty boys who act as if they know me." Sho had thought she was cute, but her personality was like a bath of ice water. He pulled back at her insult. "I also know what you did to Kyoko."

"Are you her friend?" Sho asked surprised, casting the acknowledgement that the girl knew one of his darker secrets into the back of his mind. Kyoko was never the type to have friends, especially female ones.

The raven-haired beauty paused in mid-step. "…She's..well…Ah mo! I don't owe you any answers. Leave me alone." She pivoted into a fire-escape stairwell, trying to knock the persistence celebrity off her tail. Instead, he just followed her into the small cement covered room, and ran up the stairs after her.

"I just want to know if she's been acting strange. If Tsuruga Ren has been after her! If you're her friend, I'm sure she's told you. We've been friends since we were kids, and I'm worried about her."

A vein throbbed in the actress's temple. The fact that she knew nothing pissed her off almost more than the fact this guy could call himself as her friend. As if he on the same level she was with the small, eccentric actress. She whirled around on him.

"Why would you care? Didn't you throw her away?"

"Well, I..uh…"

Sho was saved a response as the sound of his angry manger's voice rang through the narrow, corporate staircase.

"I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU THINK! A GIRL IS NOT A PRIZE TO BE WON! YOU CALL TSURUGA AND TELL HIM THAT THIS STUPID BET IS OVER. SHO DOESN'T WANT HIM GOING AFTER KYOKO ANYMORE, AND YOU SHOULDN'T BE PUSHING TSURUGA ALONG TO USE THAT GIRL TO FIX HIS STUPID TABLOID PROBLEM!"

* * *

**I wasn't planning on stopping here, but I didn't want people to think I gave up on this fanfiction when I leave for a couple days. Usually I post every day, so I figured I'd just break this day into 3 parts. **


	12. Day Six, Part Two: Confrontation

It was a terrible idea to go. He had seen her almost every day this week. After three nights in a row, Ren was sure someone would become suspicious. Usually he'd see her once a week at best, and never for much longer than a meal and drive back to her apartment.

Ren was never one to pay attention to fate, though Yashiro liked to mention it. ("Your fate with Kyoko…" was one of his favorite ways to start a sentence when the car ride became too quiet. "How can you be so blind!" was the way the conversation usually ended. ) The fact that the rain was torrential should have been enough of a deterrent; the fact that the wind was strong enough to push his car even more so. The fact that there were barely any other drivers on the Tokyo roads would have made perfect sense to Yashiro, so apt at noticing supernatural signals.

It wasn't that Ren couldn't see. Fate's sign was neon, well lit, and emblazoned at every traffic light and street marker. He was simply good at ignoring it. Like tonight.

Weaving his way through the Tokyo streets, he still went to see her. Not for the bet. Not even to deliver a photo of her to her landlords (a gift he thought even the Taichou would appreciate), but because his workload was so much lighter. Ren had more time to himself now than he ever had since the age of 13. The media frenzy had lessened his acting and modeling demands. Although Yashiro constantly assured him how it'd be temporary, how the gossip would die out, Ren wasn't too torn up about it anymore. He had the time now, so he wanted to appreciate it. The only way he could appropriately appreciate the time however, was to spend it with _her_.

So, Ren drove through the lightly flooded roads and chilly night's downpour to the beaten old restaurant at the outskirts of the city. In the silence and privacy of his own car, the actor broke into a tiny smile at the thought of her working. Diligently cleaning the tables, serving tea, welcoming customers like him... He quickly wiped away the expression when he thought of the situation that had convinced him to go, but the idea of her made his stubborn smile quickly return.

It was a small relief that Yashiro had work in the office tonight. He'd never tell his manager about going to the Darumaya; if he did, the teasing would never end.

Twenty minutes of driving through the gloomy, wet night got him to the Darumaya safely. As expected, all the parking areas next to the building were desolate, and he pulled up in the closest parking space.

Fumbling with the picture, making sure it was tucked away so it'd remain dry, a strike of lightning lit up the surrounding area. What caught his attention was not the lightning bolt, but a particularly strange bamboo tube exiting from the crack of the restaurant's front door. The tube was hollow, chopped through the middle, and laid empty except for the rain. The captured water rushed out of it like a gutter system, leading directly to the street and the sewer below.

The Taichou's face was surly as always when Ren caught his eye as he entered the room. The Okami was by the stove, stirring a large pot contentedly as her husband sharpened his knife. The irony of this sight was not lost on the actor, and he faintly hesitated in his step.

"Irasshaimase!" Her voice was clear as a bell, cheery but apologetic, as he fought to close the door behind him. Her back was to him. Kyoko turned as she put something down on the tables. "I'm sorry but we're clos-" Spinning around, she realized who the particular customer was. He gave a self-conscious smile as he caught her amazed face. It wasn't too far from his car to the door, but the freezing rain had substantially soaked his hair, and his fine leather jacket was dark with condensation. "Ren-san! What are you doing in this weather?"

The matron turned from her noodles as well, and instead of responding, he smiled towards Kyoko's landlady. "I was driving from a job and thought I'd maybe eat here tonight if it wasn't too busy. Also, I wanted to drop this off..." Pulling out the framed photo from its shielding plastic, he made his way towards the Taichou, with the picture extended.

Placing the knife next to the block of noodles, the patron slowly took the photo from Ren's outstretched grip. He remained emotionless during the exchange, but as his eyes raked over the geisha portrait, the deep irises turned unmistakably warm. His lips twitched upwards for only a few moments, but the expression was more than enough to confirm that Ren made the right choice in sharing the photograph with Kyoko's guardians.

"I'm sorry for bothering you all," Ren said politely, nodding his head as he released the photo and turned to exit. Watching the exchange, stunned by the intimacy her own photo would create on both sides, Kyoko quickly hopped up from her seat and ran to the door. Grabbing his wet jacket sleeve, she caught him and lightly tugged him back.

"No, no, stay! I didn't realize it was you, Ren-san." Kyoko clenched his coat, looking up at him. A lump caught in his throat, as she blushed in light embarrassment. The rosiness on her cheeks and the averted gaze reminded him of Setsuka's embarrassed-appreciation look, and Ren could feel his self-conscious smile convert to an emotion much deeper. Realizing the inappropriateness of her grasp, Kyoko hurriedly let go of the wet material.

"Oh yes, please stay Tsuruga-san," the Okami agreed, peering at the framed photo from her husband's side. Her gratitude glowed as she delicately took the gift from her husband. "We would be happy to have you over for dinner, if only to thank you for helping our Kyoko and for this beautiful picture."

Kyoko looked at the motherly woman, both appreciative of her agreement and unsure of how to respond to the matron's claim. Her unsure face switched from the tall man and the sweet rounded woman, biting her bottom lip while pondering how to politely retort. Responding to the silence, the Okami continued.

"We're having nagashi somen tonight. It's a bit strange to be having such a dish during such a rainy night, but we thought it would be nice to use the set one last time before packing it away for next summer. It should be ready in about twenty minutes." Her husband picked up the knife, and started slicing the fresh somen into perfectly thin pieces. "Please, take off your coat."

"That's very kind of you…" Ren replied graciously, voice trailing as he took off the designer leather jacket.

Bringing her hand to her lips in surprise, she realized his plight. "Oh I'm sorry Tsuruga-san! This is my husband Satou Takumi, and you may call me Honoka."

"Thank you Honoka-san" He said, truly appreciative of her generosity. This was the type of mother he would expect Kyoko to have. He could see Kyoko's positive traits echoed in the other woman, as if the actress had been raised by her. Kyoko took his jacket as soon as it was fully off of him.

"Look at your jacket Tsuruga-san; it's not made to get wet!" Kyoko scolded, looking at the state of his coat. She gaped silently at the brand as she took it off his hands; N. Hoolywood was an extremely expensive men's brand. It almost seemed sacrilegious to treat the jacket as if it were nothing.

She ran in and out of the kitchen in a burst of momentum, putting it above the heater to dry and bringing back a towel in record speed. "…And you're soaked! You're going to get sick again!" Kyoko threw the fluffy towel over his neck and watched in annoyance as he lightly patted himself dry. "I'm going to get you some tea so you can warm up."

Watching Kyoko return to the kitchen (slower this time) to make some hot tea, Ren made his way to the table she had been sitting at. Sprawled out on the counter were colored markers, several ghost-like decorations, and pieces of white napkin stuffed with cotton and wrapped around the middle so that the pieces appeared to have heads. One of the objects seemed to already be done. Drawn in frighteningly accurate detail was the Taichou. It was a miniature version of his face with a tiny knife hanging by his side, while the body was simply a flowing white cloth. Next to it was the half completed Okami, as well as a few blank items.

"They're teru teru bozu dolls." Kyoko said brightly, returning with a pot of tea, along with a few cups. Setting them on the larger table nearby, Ren picked up one of the blank ghosts and examined it. She blushed as he looked at the incomplete work. "…I thought it might be nice to personalize them."

"I..don't quite remember the story," Ren lied smoothly. He had never seen one of these ghostly dolls, except home in America during late October for Halloween. However, he doubted Kyoko would draw her landlords' faces as ghosts. Kyoko looked at him, smiling inconspicuously at their shared secret. She already knew why he didn't know the story so common to native Japanese children. "Would you remind me?" Ren asked, taking a seat at the cluttered table

Pouring him a cup of tea and placing it in front of him, Kyoko nodded. Pausing a bit, she added "…if you make one."

Ren looked at the blank dolls, and then at the expertly crafted ones she herself had been working on. As a response, he pulled one of the blank dolls to him and took an orange marker.

Taking a seat next to him and picking up the half completed doll, Kyoko smiled as she watched him focus on the doll. Picking up a black marker, she too went to work, with the usual inhuman speed and exactness, talking all the while.

"Once, there was a terribly sad village. Everyone was terribly sad because it rained constantly: day in and day out. There was so much rain that it constantly washed away their livestock and crops, leaving the village hungry and miserable.

An old bald monk, dressed plainly and carrying nothing, came into the village one night. He went straight to the village people, and told them that he could bring a stop to the rain, and promised a sky full of sunshine tomorrow."

Jolting him like a sudden shock, a deep baritone voice spoke from within the kitchen. He recited the rhyme by memory, smooth and rich.

"Teru-teru-bozu, teru bozu

Do make tomorrow a sunny day

Like the sky in a dream sometime

If it's sunny I'll give you a golden bell"

Setting the now complete doll down on the table, Kyoko picked up the second blank doll. "Just as the monk said, he brought a sky full of nothing but blue and sunshine. The village cried with happiness, celebrating in relief from the horrible weather."

This time, his wife spoke. Her voice was soft and filled with a light tune, as she continued the children's poem. Ren partially listened, as he picked up a yellow marker to draw her eyes. He squinted his eyes and his hand twitched, as he focused on drawing the circles of her familiar facade. A tiny bead of sweat emerged from his intense concentration.

"Teru-teru-bozu, teru bozu

Do make tomorrow a sunny day

If you make my wish come true

We'll drink lots of sweet rice wine"

Pulling out a piece of colored thread and a hidden needle, Kyoko went into overdrive as she began to stick the miniature designer jacket she had just recreated, bringing the folktale to its end. "In the fading daylight, while a beautiful sunset glowed upon the town, they begged the monk to stay. The monk declined politely, telling them that there were other villages waiting for him. He said if the villagers wanted him to return, to hang these dolls and he would return to bring sunshine again.

Finishing up the sewing with a smile, she followed her story with the last lines of the poem.

"The village people pleaded

"Teru-teru-bozu, teru bozu

Do make tomorrow a sunny day

But if the clouds are crying

Then I shall snip your head off"

Setting down the three dolls upon the table, Ren glanced up to look at the magnificence and personification of his kohai's work. Although all the dolls still retained the basic round head, and skirt-like tail shape, the faces of the dolls were amazingly distinctive.

The first two dolls were drawn to perfection. The impassive face held tiny wrinkles by his jaw and eyes; straight tense lips just as unwelcoming as the real man. He had a tiny, plastic knife by his side, and even his hair gleamed in the same way as it did when you walked into the restaurant. The other doll's face was full, cheerful, and bright. The round cheeks and wide eyes glittered in the same merry way the model's face would as she greeted a customer; just as it had as she formally introduced herself and her husband to him.

What did and did not surprise him, was the teru teru bozu doll of himself that she had made. Instead of drawn, his face was etched into the fabric with colored threads. The way the doll wore a leather-like jacket, hanging over the white sheet as if it were an actual garment, and the fact that its hair looked slick, made him think that she had based the doll upon him at that very moment. Her ability amazed him.

Ren slunk back as he gazed upon his doll. The hastily drawn orange spikes were too bright to really invoke her hair color, too long in some areas and much too short in others. The yellow eyes were irregular wriggles instead of circles or even the narrowed golden slits her darker characters wore. In a rush to imitate her as close as he could with his zero artistic talent, the doll was colored from the neck string down bright pink, an attempt to reference the LoveMe uniform Kyoko was known for in the LME headquarters. He was pretty sure Maria's attempt in preschool would have looked better, had she known Kyoko at that age.

"I suppose we should hang those up." Ren said smoothly, standing up. "The sooner the monk comes, the better." He purposefully slipped the doll under the table and into his pocket, making sure to use his broadness and height to block Kyoko's view of his artsy failure.

Saying nothing and picking up all three of the dolls, Kyoko trotted to the window and carefully hung the embellished dolls like an obedient child. Using a stepping stool, she hung them in the windowpane.

As he watched, Ren felt unsure about how the third doll was not of Kyoko, who completed the family, but himself, who was only a visitor to their dinner.

As he looked over to the Taichou, Ren was surprised to notice the small smile of approval the chef wore as he took in the two dolls appearance at the window. It wasn't until he watched the third circle around that his smile dropped. Ren swallowed lightly as he watched the chef's gaze switch from the invading third doll to its inspiration. It was obvious he felt that the doll shouldn't have been put up, especially at the expense of his surrogate daughter. The chef looked up at the doll, and seemed to focus on the string that held the doll up, wrapped tightly around his neck.

Ren swallowed again and looked towards Kyoko. She had her hand out, as if waiting for a contribution. She didn't have to say anything to explain what she was waiting for. Unsure of hanging up such an admittedly ugly doll, he only relented when Kyoko looked from his pocket to her hand in the same way she often looked at his admittedly empty stomach, to his semi-guilty face. He sighed lightly, reached into his pocket and handed the doll over.

Kyoko took a good look at the doll's squiggly yellow eyes, bright pink skirt, and spiky orange hair. She didn't laugh at the childishness of the sketch. Still, the humiliation slithered deep in his stomach, as deep as what he felt when he was fired from his first acting job. The purity of her smile melted the knot and thanked him in a more sincere way than any of her deep bows or rushed thanks in the past.

* * *

"_I know you think your dad is crazy, but once you realize you've met the second most beautiful woman in the world, outranked only by your dear mother of course, you will know why your Uncle Lory is so crazy about love. There's no better experience in life than love, Kuon. I would give up our house, all the money in the world; I would even give up acting, for love. Love is a feeling you will never want to live without, once you've found it."

* * *

_

Taking a tack, Ren put the pin in Kyoko's small, outstretched palm. She handled the doll as if it were a rare treasure. Eventually, the four chibi teru-teru-bozu dangled together in the window. The two happy pairs swung as a prayer for a sunshine-filled tomorrow.

Taking a couple steps back, Kyoko bowed her head. Clapping her hands twice, she quietly recited the common teru teru bozu prayer. "Fine-weather priest, please let the weather be good tomorrow."

_Or let the weather it be so bad, _Ren thought,_ that the night never ends…_

"The broth is done," Honoka announced happily, draining the boiling water from the noodle pot and allowing the broth to cool. "Would you mind helping me set up the nagashi somen Kyoko dear?"

"Of course," she replied perkily, turning away from Ren and trotting to the stove. Taking the large pot in a pair of kitchen mittens, she went to the sink and began to wash the noodles.

"Feel free to wash up, Tsuruga-san. We'll get everything set up and ready by the time you come back." The matron chirped. She picked up a ladle, and asked Kyoko to pick up some of the finer bowls in the back.

Agreeing to the suggestion, Ren went to the wash closet. Instead of washing up however, he pulled out his cell phone.

His father was only half Japanese, half American, and his mother was mostly Norwegian blood, mixed with a few obscure eastern European nationalities. Living in America, the melting pot of cultures never allowed him to fully engulf himself in the Japanese culture. His dad taught him Japanese, but besides a few presents from his extended family, and that fateful visit as Kuon 'the fairy prince,' he was unfamiliar with the island's culture that only a native child would know.

After living years on the small island country, the most useful product he had was his cell phone. Many times it had saved him from embarrassment. Old-fashioned words, wives' tales, and obscure sayings constantly popped up in scripts, and when he wasn't by his computer, the phone was a saving grace. Well, his cell phone and the strange mascot chicken.

This time, the mobile failed him.

He exited in the restroom, tucking away his cell dictionary's strange translation.

_Nagashi Somen – "Flowing Noodles"_

The direct translation wasn't very useful, and he pondered the meaning of _flowing noodles_ as he brushed past the sheet hanging over the bathroom door. It didn't explain the pipeline bamboo contraction that peeked out the door completely, but he had an idea that the instrument was for dinner.

Waiting between the hallway of the restaurant and the tucked away restroom, the Taichou leaned against the building. He had his back to the wall, and he fingered the rumpled object in his chef's jacket pocket. He caught the actor by surprise, and Ren apologized as he turned to move past the patron.

Feeling a sudden strong grasp on his shoulder, Ren froze. Slowly, he turned around to face Satou-san. His young heart began to beat a bit faster, worry fluttering in his stomach. The last chat with the chef had not boded well and the space between them was a bit too close for comfort.

Letting the actor go, the chef pulled out a photo from his pocket. He handed Ren a sepia, permanently creased photo. Hesitantly, Ren took it and gazed down politely at the photograph.

The photograph was of a much younger couple, the man wearing a firm, identifying frown and his wife bearing a kind face that would age well. Surrounding the couple were four small boys, all posing in front of a restaurant that read "Grand Opening." It was a happy family, what seemed like a long time in the past.

"I have raised four sons, and they are now all on their own, with families of their own." Ren smiled weakly, unsure of why exactly Satou-san would show him a photo of his large family. "We were not blessed with a daughter, not until now…"

The chef smiled, more proudly than Ren had seen him on any other occasion. It was a slightly larger smile. However it did not last.

"There is little about you that I have not seen in my sons, several times before. Each boy made us happy as parents; gave us insight into the mind of a young man. The expression you carry, the way you interact with her now; it has become different than the way you did in the past."

The Taichou's look burrowed through Ren's skin. He felt exposed, as if the chef had read Ren's last week with Kyoko, and the original reason for them, on his forehead.

"I emphasized and taught all my sons to treat women with the respect they deserve. However, I am not your father. I will not attempt to instruct you as if you were my son." His voice became cooler, stronger and more intimidating than the sharp steel knives he carried. "I simply want to inform you that if your intentions are impure, I will teach you a lesson in the way lessons are taught between men."

Taking the photo from his shocked hand, the Taichou walked away, leaving Ren speechless in the hallway. He swallowed deeply in the dark area, trying to bring his heart back into his chest.

Were his intentions impure? He did care. Whatever feelings he carried for Kyoko had been created long before the stupid bet…but it was true the way he interacted with her now was different than before. Somewhere the bet, the rumor, it all became background noise.

_But would she see it that way? How would Kyoko feel if she knew her senpai had taken a bet against her arch-rival? In the matters of trying to win her heart, without her knowing, for his own public image?_

She would hate him too. No, likely it'd be worse. She wouldn't just decide to beat him like she did with Shou. Kyoko would clam up in herself. She'd never _love_ again. She'd never _trust_ again. _Anyone_. He'd never see that smile again…

He went back into the restroom and washed up, splashing a bit of cold water on his face, to calm himself down. Leaning over the sink, her smile stuck in his mind.

_I have to tell her myself…Everything. Past, present, and where my feelings lay._

He swallowed as he exited the bathroom one last time.

"Over here, Ren-san." Kyoko said as he returned to the woman's side. She picked up the ladle, and filled up a small bowl, warm and delicious smelling.

The way she naturally addressed him as "Ren-san" was almost as smooth as when she called him "Tsuruga-san." He vaguely wondered how it'd be if she were to reach the point of calling him "Ren" or even "Kuon." The intimacy it'd take just for her to call him "Ren" would be a step he wasn't sure he could take in stride. Not before, and especially not after Satou-san's speech.

For her to call him Kuon, he'd really have to come clean to her. He'd have to tell her that the conversation at the restaurant wasn't the end of it. That he was her fairy, and that she was his…something that he should never want after all the things he's done…

"…unless you'd like something other than somen?" Kyoko said lightly, breaking his concentration. She hesitantly held out a warm bowl of broth, and a pair of wooden chopsticks, pulling the broth back at the lack of response she was getting from him.

"No, I'd love to try some." Ren said, a tender heart-filled smile escaping onto his face.

The dangerous smile caught the young girl off guard, almost dropping her things to run away to a safer distance. Noticing the intent to flee, Ren caught the bowl, and her hand in his own.

"Let me take that…" he said, using his other hand to take the bowl from her. However, he didn't move his hand away from hers, as he took the bowl. Blushing hard, but consciously fighting it, Kyoko looked to the floor. The hands lingered only a few moments longer than it needed to, and every person in the restaurant noticed it.

Coughing politely, Honoka broke up the moment so that Ren could withdraw with dignity. She stood by the wooden tub, holding onto a small latch that seemed to separate the contents of the hefty tub to the small bamboo tube connected to it. "Are you ready Kyoko-chan?"

"Ready" Kyoko said lightly, concentrating hard on the bamboo chute. She made sure not to make eye contact with Ren, embarrassment mixed with a tinge of confusion.

Pulling the lid up lightly, a burst of cold water began to rush down the chute like a miniature flood. It surprised him to see such a wave of water speed so quickly down the bamboo, and the point of it mildly perplexed him. It wasn't until he spotted her actions, did the whole setup make sense.

Kyoko brought the chopsticks to the water with such speed he wasn't able to see the wooden utensils. Immediately, she pulled up the chilled spaghetti over her head like a successful fish catch. Caught between the chopsticks was a bunch of twisted noodles, still dripping from its stream. She smiled at the actor and brought the noodles to the warm broth, spun it in the flavored soup, and brought it to her lips.

Following suit, the Taichou watched the waterfall, and spied a group of noodles. He watched it float past him, and with nimbleness he hadn't expected from the older man, he brought his chopsticks to the water and picked out the cooked noodles with ease. Only a small bit escaped, washing out with the rest of the water down the chute, outside with the rain, and likely down the drain with the rest of the storm.

Ren looked at the chopsticks and the warm broth in his hands, leaning over the water chute. Not too far, the Taichou watched him, gaze firm and straight. He nodded to the tall actor, just as another glob of wet noodles escaped from the tank and began to zoom down the channel.

Determined not to make himself look more of a fool than he already had, Ren positioned himself quickly at the side of the bamboo. His chopstick hovered just above the water, and he fixed his eyes to the noodles. It sloshed with the cold water, coming quickly to the point of intersection. He arched up his elbow, he parted his chopsticks, and sensing the moment, dived at the cooked noodles.

Pulling up an empty hand, he watched in amazement as Kyoko skillfully picked up his missed bounty, and consumed it with a catlike ease.

She was the leopard, paws of lightning and the nature of a hunter, posed over the bank of a river full of fish. He was the clumsy bear cub, new to the sport, grasping at the water for whatever he could get and mostly missing.

His ears perked at her small giggle. He turned to her, and she flicked her head up to the wooden crate's opening, signaling at another cluster of noodles about to escape.

Slowly but surely he got better, as the four began to catch and eat the nagashi somen. The atmosphere became more relaxed, Kyoko showing him how to better catch the noodles, and Honoka taking some noodles straight out of the tub to put in Ren's bowl.

Her sudden dramatic vibration shook the chairs and table next to her, taking Ren's eye away from the noodle chute. Strangely, the couple kept serving and eating, likely accustomed to the teenager's strange actions. Pausing only for a moment, he reached his chopsticks back into the water, but kept her in the corner of his eye.

Standing up and pulling out her pink LoveMe cell, Kyoko looked at the name and perked up. "Moshi moshi Moko-san!"

He couldn't hear what Kotonami-san said, but Kyoko's face turned immediately to worry.

"What's wrong Moko-san? You're talking so fast! Is something wrong?"

Ren pressed his hearing to work as best as possible, but he couldn't make out the other line. However he could tell something was wrong by the tone of the tall actress. He settled to listening to half of the conversation, haphazardly attempting to stab at noodles to look like he wasn't eavesdropping.

"I'm having dinner at Darumaya. You should come too! We're having nagashi somen and it's really good!"

"Yes, I know it's not summer anymore, but we were so busy this summer that I never had a chance to have any. That's why you should come!"

"No, I'm not having it alone. That's why you should come. The more people the better!"

"Mr. and Mrs. Satou, and Tsuruga-san als-"

Suddenly holding the phone away, Ren could distinctly hear Kotonami screaming angrily on the other line.

His chopsticks paused. He didn't know much about Kotonami-san, except that she was the only person Kyoko openly adored and they were both in the LoveMe section. She had never reacted to him before when she passed him. Why would she suddenly start respond to his name this violently now? Something in his stomach dropped as the upset actress eventually stopped shouting.

"Of course you're my best friend Moko-san!"

"Okay, if you say it's important, I'll come right after I cle-" The shrieking started again, and Kyoko cowered audibly.

"Nooooooooooooo! I'll come right away!"

Clicking the phone shut, grabbing her jacket, and placing her dinnerware in the sink, Kyoko ran to the door before Ren could realize she was already halfway out.

"Let me drive you Kyoko" Ren offered, before she pulled the door shut.

"Oh no! Keep eating Ren-san! I'll be right back!"

With the bright dismissal, she disappeared from sight. Listening to her bike tires peel away, Ren heard the light jingle of his own cell phone coming from the kitchen area. Excusing himself, he bowed and put the dishes along with Kyoko's.

Wondering if Kyoko changed her mind about the ride, he picked up his cell phone and opened it without glancing at the screen.

"Ren! Ren! Did you pick up?" Yashiro cried over the phone. His voice was frantic but hushed."Oh God, Ren, Kotonami knows! She knows, and she's going to tell Kyoko! Please, pick up!"

* * *

**Please review to prove I didn't lose everyone *cry* Thanks ****Runadaemon!**

**Nagashi somen is real. N. Hoolywood is a real brand. Teru teru bōzu ****dolls are actually made and hung outside. I did have to make names up for the Taichou and his wife. I've been avoiding it for a while, but if you were having dinner with someone, you wouldn't call them Chef/Landlady/Wife etc. **

**Sorry I made everyone wait so long, but I hope this chapter keeps you on your toes. I have the next two chapters planned so you shouldn't have to wait as long as this chapter. I hope the length makes up for it.**


	13. Day Six, Part Three: Apologies

**I know what your friends say**

**"You're just wasting your love and time"**

Sho lazily tapped his pencil against the dilapidated tabletop, looking at the scrawled print that was his own handwriting. Brainstorming lyrics was usually how he passed the time, which was useful because his stock of pre-composed music was running low. He had the ghost of a song stuck in his head, but those two lines were the only concrete lyrics he could pin down.

He sat tucked in the corner of a booth, wearing a Yankees baseball cap and an oversized hoodie. Thankfully the girl's sister's café was empty so he didn't have to deal with any crazy female fans, but if he didn't disguise himself, Kyoko would spot him immediately. He knew how observant she was. The mirror on the back wall was angled just right; he could see the door and booth behind him but the reflection wouldn't catch him. Constantly glancing up, Sho smiled expectantly as the time dragged on. He hadn't been so excited to see her since Valentine's Day, as sure of tonight's plans as he was on February 14th.

_If only there was something to eat…_

Strangely, he remembered how hungry he was on Valentine's Day too. It was easy to remember, because on that particular day, the taste of the Valentine's chocolate from Kyoko (Okay, the expensive chocolate from himself, to Kyoko, then back to himself.) had been the thing he desired the most. The only reason that could have been was because he was famished that day, as he was now. It had been so good that the singer even ordered another set for himself, despite his dislike of sweet things, but the taste of it was never quite as appetizing as it was the first time.

Hunger was the best spice, right?

He could feel his stomach growl, and he lightly winced as his abs reflexively tightened. No matter how hungry he was, he knew it was best to stay silent. The idea of asking for food from the crazy pink chick was as suicidal as trying to kiss her.

* * *

"_What did you say?_" The voice wasn't simply cold. It was _sub-zero._ It was vicious. It was the voice of impending death. She was the living Yuki Onna, the mythical snow queen. As beautiful as she was deadly.

He wasn't sure how she had teleported herself up the stairs so fast, but the echo of her voice drew him in, so dangerously silky that neither of the managers could bear to look at her. A magnet to anything involving Kyoko, Sho silently snuck up the stairs to watch the action between the bars. Kanae drew closer to Shoko, who begun to quiver in fear.

"_Do you mean to tell me, that your charge bet that man that he could win __**my friend**__'s heart, for the sake of his public image?"_

Unable to do anything else, Shoko nodded quickly in confirmation.

Pivoting in fury, her eyes flickered into flames as she turned to the other manager. She was turning into a demon in front of his very eyes. Her hair began to rise, and she bared her sharpened nails at the matchmaking manager. Yashiro squealed like a teenage girl, and cowered into a corner.

"_And you! You're simply letting your charge __**take advantage**__** of her**__…? You didn't talk him out of it? You didn't think about how it'd look for her? How she'd feel? What a scandal could do to her new career?"_

"bu-bu-bu-I-I-I-Re-Re-Re-lo-lo." Yashiro's tongue failed him, as he slid against the wall and onto the floor. Shoko's yelling had been off-putting, but this other girl towering over him was absolutely petrifying. If that two-bit actor was the demon king in LME, she would easily be the demon queen. Sho realized how lucky he was to get off easy.

"_I will only say this once,_ _Yashiro."_ She spit out his name like a curse._" Stay. Away. From. Kyoko. Keep your charge away from Kyoko. Don't go near the LoveMe locker room. Don't call her. Don't look at her. If you do, I'm going straight to the President, and if he doesn't do anything, I'll bring you down myself."_

Still stunned into silence, the group of three watched as the irate actress flick her phone open. She stepped out of the stairwell, and dialed a number furiously. After a quick and hushed conversation, punctuated by irate screaming, she returned to the stairwell.

"You!" She pointed at Shoko, who had finally had enough common sense to start escaping down the stairs. "You're coming with me!"

"I'm sorry?" Shoko asked, surprised. She had already caused more trouble than she had set out to do. She was ready to do the yelling, not to be yelled at.

"She'll never believe me. You're an outside party. You obviously think it's wrong too, right?" Kanae looked down at the female manager, daring her to disagree. Paused a few steps lower than the pink monster, his manager nodded, very reluctantly. "You're driving me to meet her."

"I-I don't think that's a good idea." Shoko said fervently, backing up a few more steps. "I'm sure if anyone were to be the one to tell her, it should come from her fri-."

A simple withering glare silenced the dissenting voice.

"If you don't go, I'll go to Entertainment Tokyo right now." The actress said, threatening. "I know their past." Who "they" were was quite clear to the manager. Sho watched his manager swallow. The very thing she had wanted to avoid all along was at the cusp of coming true.

Sho paused, thinking of the ramifications of the situation.

_If the girl went to Kyoko, she would know that I bet that pretty boy that he could win Kyoko. Kyoko would be angry at me, sure. She'd continue to hate me, which would make me an even bigger presence in Kyoko's mind. That's exactly what I need! Not only that, Kyoko would begin to hate that pompous idiot as well. She wouldn't acknowledge him as her senpai anymore. He wouldn't be able to win Kyoko, ever. Then I'd never have to dream about her being taken by his playboy ways. It's a win-win!_

Sho ran up the stairs, to meet with his manager. Both women's eyes widened, surprised at his sudden reappearance.

"I agree! Let's tell her!"

He hadn't even seen the swing coming. He doubled in half, and grabbed the landing for support.

_Where did she learn to hit like that?

* * *

_

Although he was sure he wouldn't be able to do sit-ups for at least a week, it'd be worth it. It would be _so_ worth it. He praised his own genius at the situation. If Kyoko knew that her _precious_ senpai used her, she would hate him. Since she had only known the pathetic actor for a little over a year, Kyoko would simply strike him from her life. She couldn't do that with him. _He_ had known Kyoko since she was six. Their connection was an impossible bond to break.

With the path clear, he would dominate her mind once again. That was all he wanted.

He smiled smugly and brought the pencil down to his pad. Another lyric popped up in his mind, and he knew it was genius the moment he read it back to himself.

**I will never let you change your mind

* * *

**

The sound of splashing water started low at first, then began to rise in volume. It was the low _woosh _sound car tires make when zooming through a flood line several inches high.

Shoko watched in amazement as the glass doors of the café became distorted, a wave of cold rain water hitting it at a high velocity. Through the zigzags, she could see a bright red bike, and a small figure on top of it. The bike whipped around on its front tire, and skid right in front of the doors, letting out another whip of water crashing along the building. Shoko's heart hit against the bottom of her stomach, just as hard.

Rising from her seat, Kanae stood in the middle of the aisle, hands on her hips. Watching, and waiting.

Parking the bike beneath the restaurant's canopy, the automatic door slid open. A small bell jingled in the customary fashion.

"MOKO-SAN!"

Launching herself at her best friend, Kanae grabbed Kyoko's head and held the wet girl back at arms length. Kyoko flailed her arms forward, trying to catch her friend in a bone crushing hug. Luckily the fending girl's arms were longer, and she was able to keep away from the passionate embrace.

"Ah mo! Do you have any idea how soaked you are?" The tall actresses face was annoyed, but nothing like how she was before. Her exasperation even had a sound of pleasure. "Do you want to get me wet too?"

"But! but!" Kyoko stopped flailing, but she kept her arms outstretched, still looking for the hug that would never come. Her eyes were filled with happy tears, and Shoko smiled a bit at Kyoko's sheer tenacity in showing her affection. The small actress was almost soaked head to toe, and yet she didn't seem to notice how her skirt dripped, and her shirt clung to her. "You called me! I'm so happy that you wanted to talk to me first! It means we're friends!"

Both the actress and the manager's face fell, as Kanae slowly released her grip on Kyoko's head. Kyoko tilted her head in confusion, not understanding the emotional shift in the air.

"Sit down." Kanae sighed, rubbing her temples. "We need to talk to you."

"Hai!" Agreeing easily, Kyoko turned to the table for the first time. Her eyes widened a bit at the sight of her nemesis's manager already sitting in the booth. Not one to be impolite, Kyoko bowed and greeted her warmly, which the manager smiled weakly back to. Inward, Shoko winced. How ill-fitting that she would be there to see this sweet poor girl get betrayed again, by another man she admired. If she were Kyoko, she'd never want to see her ever again.

"Are you off tonight Aki-san?" Kyoko asked politely, as Kanae slid into the booth next to the manager. "I don't see the idiot…"

Kyoko's face darkened, as her sentence trailed off.

A sudden angry cough erupted from behind the two women. Kanae heavily elbowed the padded booth. The capped man behind them stopped coughing, just as quickly as he started.

"I asked her to be here. I need to tell you something." Kotonami said. Her words were heavy and blunt, and Shoko knew she was about to plow into the explanation immediately. Cutting her off, Shoko started first.

"Before that…has Tsuruga been spending a lot of time with you lately?"

Kyoko paused, really thinking about the question. She leaned her head back, and tapped her chin.

"I… guess so." She drawled out. It didn't seem to occur to her how often her senpai had been around until now. "I have seen Ren-san more than usual this past week."

"Ren? Since when have you been calling him that?" Kanae erupted, shock clearly evident on her face. "You don't even call me Kanae!" The angry coughing started again, and this time Shoko was the one who brought her elbow back into the chair.

"I can call you Kanae?" Kyoko cried, in surprise and glee. "Kanae-chan!" Kyoko jumped up from her chair, and tried to capture her best friend in a hug over the table. Shoko jumped, surprised at the sudden grab attempt. Again, Kanae pushed her friend back with an extended arm, fending off another wild hug.

"Ah Mo! Kyoko, that's not the point! The point is that Tsuruga is using you!"

All flailing and fighting stopped the instant those words left her lips. Time paused, as the entire scene went into a freeze frame. The silence at the table could have allowed a petal to fall, and have it be heard as a gunshot.

Kyoko face was so unbelieving, so in denial that her eyes were perfect golden circles of shock. It was as if Kanae had told Kyoko the sun was simply a light bulb, on a set timer that rose, fell, brightened, and dimmed according to some obscure clock timer, and expected Kyoko to believe it.

"Moko-san…don't say things like that." Kyoko gave a light laugh, like the tinkling of small bells, as she broke the silence. She pulled back and sat down. "Ren-san wouldn't use me for anything. I am simply his lowly kohai. He is just being polite, trying to make me feel comfortable at LME because I'm talentless and as low as a slug..."

She said it all so simply and matter-of-factly that the two women were temporarily stunned. Did she really think she was talentless when she appeared in several successful television dramas? Hadn't she seen the buzz about her name going around in entertainment?

"...What would he be using me for?"

The mere idea that Ren would use her for anything seemed like an impossibility for her. The whole situation was much like Kanae imagined the old Kyoko would have acted if someone were to approach her about Shou, before she entered show business. Tsuruga Ren was her beloved senpai. Apparently he had already gotten into her friend's life more than anyone had realized.

"I keep telling you to pay attention to the media!"

Rummaging through a large bag, Kanae pulled out several big name magazines and slapped the stack on the table. "Everyone's saying Tsuruga is gay!" She ran her hand over the pile like fanning a deck of cards. "He wants to win you over and use you to prove he's not!" Kyoko leaned over the stack and read over the various flamboyant headlines, taking it all in.

"I bet he's been getting really friendly with you over this last week or so, right?"

"I guess, but…"

"He told you to call him Ren, didn't he?"

"After a year, yes, but..."

"He came to take you out of school early before. He obviously came over for dinner tonight. Right?"

"Well yes…but Moko-san…"

"No Kyoko!" The angry actress picked up one of the magazine, and threw it down for proof, emphasizing her point. "I'm telling you he's using you. If you two were really getting friendly enough to address each other by your first names, don't you think he would have mentioned the trouble he was having with the press!"

"Moko-san" Kyoko said soothingly, trying to sound reassuring despite her friend's rapidly increasing annoyance. "I know he's not using me."

"How can you be so sure?" Kanae said furiously at her best friend. "Do you trust him more than me?"

Again, Kanae was going to be left alone while her best friend took the side of someone else. She was furious. Why did this always happen? Why was it always the boy over the best friend? Her siblings over herself?

As if suddenly running out of steam, Kanae's voice cracked, and she turned her head away. "...More than your best friend?"

"No no! I trust you Moko-san! I do!" Kyoko whimpered. She took a hold of her best friend's hand over the table, and squeezed it reassuringly. It was only the table that kept her from hugging Kanae properly.

"I trust you more than anyone! It's just he's Tsuruga Ren! He's the number one sought after man. Why would he want someone like me? He has access to the most beautiful and successful women in Japan! Why would he force himself around me when someone else could solve his problems so much easier?"

"Because of _him_." Kanae said simply, emphasizing the word 'him' extremely darkly.

"Him?" Kyoko asked, baffled.

"Sho." Shoko sighed, speaking up for the first time. "Sho bet him that he couldn't. Sho made a bet with Tsuruga that if he didn't win you over in a week… Tsuruga would have to announce publicly that he was gay."

Kyoko recoiled as if she were slapped. She released Moko-san's hands. "Sho…Tsuruga…he took the bet?" Her eyes were wide again, but this time the actual situation seemed to be sinking in.

"Yes…" Shoko put her head down. She let the room go silent a bit, to allow Kyoko to process her words. "I didn't know what had happened until after the bet was made, and I was only able to confront Yash-"

"Yashiro knew too?" The girl choked out in surprise.

"Kyoko-san…I…" Shoko said hesitantly, wondering whether reaching out to her was the right thing to do.

"I thought he enjoyed it too…I thought he actually started respecting me…" Her voice cracked. "I thought he was…he acted just like I thought Corn would have…"

_Corn? _Shoko wondered. _How do you act like a vegetable? _Still, she sat stationary in her chair, watching the poor girl.

"He was always able to trick me into acting with him…" Kyoko grabbed the hem of her soaked skirt, and squeezed it so hard the water rang out, dripping to the floor. Her voice became softer at each word. "So convincing you can't help but respond…"

Both women sat frozen to their seats, watching the passionate actress emotionally deflate, right before their very eyes. The Kyoko they knew would be in flames of rage right now, in a whirlwind of destruction and hate. This girl before them was…breaking. Falling apart right in front of them, and there was nothing they could do to help her. Unsure of what to say or do that would be a comfort, their gazes fell, and allowed the silence to wash over.

* * *

_What? That was it!_

_Where was the anger? Where was the furious delivery girl, throwing boxes of food and declaring her revenge against that bas -?_

_**She cared about him. **_

He couldn't help himself. The pencil between his fingers broke, and the blood pounded in his ears. The anger she should have been feeling flowed into him.

The cackle of cruel laughter filled the restaurant. It broke the silence, as the musician felt his gaze go red.

"You should be glad." Shou pounded his fists into the table, using it to stand up. He turned around and looked at his childhood friend. His parents' choice for his future bride. "No one would go after a no-name, plain, clingy lackey newbie unless they were roped into it, especially a celebrity like _Tsuruga_ _Ren."_

She looked up at him, but her flaming golden eyes were dull and empty, like she was looking through him to the truth behind it all. She didn't even seem surprised to see him.

"Shou! What're you…" His manager tried to catch Shou's sleeve, pull him back as he got up, but the performer angrily yanked his arm away. He advanced on the tearful girl with heavy footsteps, angry adrenaline driving him on.

"Even if you shoot to the top of the Japanese charts, you'll always be that crybaby that has to follow behind someone."

_The nerve of her to look so in pain, so lost! The only person to bring that look to her face before was her mother. She had only gotten furious with me, and she grew because of it. She didn't look like this! She didn't mourn like this!_

His words were brutal, spit out in raw emotion with no filter to stem them. His fury spilled over. Kyoko head fell, staring at her lap. And she _still_ wouldn't wipe off that stupid devastated look on her face.

"Even your mother didn't want you! Why would someone like him treat you like you meant something without an ulterior motive!"

He never caused her to look like she was grieving. The only person she had loved enough to cause that much anguish was her mother.

Until now.

He took her shoulders in his hands and tugged her to her feet. "I'm the only one who will help you. I'm the only one who'll put up with you forever, like it was meant to be! I'm your prince!"

The sudden movement of her arm made him shut his eyes. He knew what was coming, and he waited for the smack. That show of anger that was _his _Kyoko.

Her flat palm hung in the air, so close to Shou's cheek that he was sure he had been hit. There was no pain, no sound of skin hitting skin, but he must have been hit. He _needed_ to be. There was no way she would pull back on him now. He _had_ to stay in her heart.

"There is no such thing as a prince, Shoutaro."

Her voices sounded so empty that he barely heard her. Shaking her head, she finally raised her head to meet his. Her gaze was so dead, missing the passion of life he was used to provoking from her. There was none of the hatred he wanted, nor of the loving look she once watched him with as a child.

Bringing her hand to her face, she swept away the moisture that fell from her eyes. It was a hard, angry wipe. She tried to do it quickly, but the action still meant the same. He let her go abruptly, and backed away in panic.

_Kyoko didn't cry. Why was she crying? Where was her anger?_

"I'm sorry…" She whispered, turning her head away.

The stupidity of her comment smacked him harder than she herself could have. Why would she be apologizing? He just ripped into her. He had said things…that he thought he could never say to her. Now she was crying, and yet she could still apologize to him?

"I never wanted to do that in front of you again…"

_Of course Kyoko cried. She used to always cry when they were kids, and he never had any idea what to do. Until one day she just stopped…and she hadn't cried in front of him in years. Even those days when he knew Mogami-san had shunned her daughter back to the inn; Kyoko would just disappear, and come back with a make-shift smile. How long had she been hiding her tears from him? _

"Kyoko…?" He felt like he was eight again, watching his pig-tailed best friend, his only real friend, suffering. _Why did she always worry about him, instead of herself? _Even after so many years, he still didn't know the words to make things better.

His voice was intimate and regretful. Shou asked, reaching out hesitantly to her. "Kyoko? I...I didn't mean it… I was just angry…I was just kidding about the bet…"

He touched her shoulder, but she jerked back from his touch like it was scalding. Her eyes were dry, but her voice was still just as hollow.

"I guess…I needed this. To finally grow up." Kyoko cast her head down, and walked silently to the door. The moments went by like hours, the dingy café silent except for her footsteps.

The automatic doors opened, and the sound of the rain rushed in. She turned back to the small group, and gave her last sad but heartfelt smile.

"Thank you…everyone…" Kyoko whispered, before slipping past the doors. The small bell tinkled as she left.

* * *

* * *

**Were you moved? I really really hope so. I wanted this to be a heavy hitting chapter. I've never written an altercation to this magnitude, and I wanted it to pull at heart strings (just a little bit). Anger and/or sadness are both acceptable. Let me know if it worked. **

**No, not a Yankees fan. But I am a New Yorker, and I had to slip in my native city somehow. *lol***

**As usual, thanks Runa for being my beta-lady as well as my soundboard! Lyrics are copyright of Maroon 5's "Back At Your Door" It's the inspiration of this chapter.**


	14. Day Seven, Morning: Desperate Times

Time hung as a dense fog; all of them stuck in disbelief. The seconds turned into a minute, and a minute into several, before anyone jarred themselves back into the present.

Shoko watched as "Moko-san" or "Kanae" or whoever she was, run out of the café after her friend. Kanae turned back at the door, and gave her and her charge one more furious look before she too was gone. If Kyoko had stayed, she had no doubt that Sho would be in the hospital once Kanae had collected her wits. Luckily, the LME actress decided that her co-worker's well-being was more important than crushing her charge into the ground. Unluckily, a smack might have been just the thing he needed.

Shoko brought her hand to her cheek. She felt the small wet path, surprised to find the evidence of her tears. She really did hope that Kanae caught up with Kyoko. The sweet actress hadn't deserved any of that venom. According to Sho, even her own mother was indifferent to her. The poor girl…

Speaking of Sho…

She was so annoyed at him. Not just annoyed. She was livid. There was no excuse for his behavior. _No excuse._ She knew Sho was spoiled. Of course a talented, handsome teenager would get all he asked for. He had the air of someone who had been doted on all through his youth when she met him, and he almost always got everything he wanted from the company. He probably expected his childhood friend to fall into place too.

What she didn't know was how sadistic her charge was. Shoko never expected he could say something that vile to a girl who once loved him, grinding down her spirit when he knew Kyoko was already heartbroken.

"Go to the car Sho." Her voice was colder than even she thought it could be.

Sho responded immediately. He walked without his usual proud swagger, his head bent as he passed her. His golden bangs hung low, blocking his eyes.

After fixing up the place and scribbling a hasty note for the owner, Shoko left the café and opened her car door. He sat in the passenger side, still and silent. The hoodie was back up, shielding his face as he looked out the window. She tossed the lyrics book on his floor mat, started the ignition, and began to drive to her apartment.

Pulling up to a stoplight, Shoko watched Sho from the corner of her eye. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone.

"Who are you calling at this time of night?" Shoko asked curiously, peering over to his side. He rarely used his cell phone now; she made almost all his calls for him.

"… I want to talk to her again." He said, quiet but matter-of-fact.

It took a second to realize who he meant. She looked at his screen, and almost reeled back in disbelief. He was halfway through the K's. In horror, Shoko yanked the phone from his hands. She lowered her window and chucked the cell out onto the road before he could stop her.

"What the hell?" Sho demanded, looking at her as if she were crazy.

"Sho!" She shrieked, amazed by his stupidity. "You've done enough to that poor girl. Leave her alone!"

"I was just going to apologize!" The musician balked irately.

"And you think calling or texting her is going to be enough?" Shoko yelled, exasperated. She gripped the wheel tightly, knowing that if she didn't she'd strangle him instead.

"No!" He said, catching her by surprise. "I know it won't be enough! But I have to try! I want her to forgive me!"

"It doesn't matter what you want!"

"It's what she needs to hear!"

Their angry voices filled the interior, the green light clearly forgotten. Realizing the car in front of him wasn't planning on moving, the expensive gray Porsche circled around the stationary vehicle, running over the celebrity's cell.

"She won't want to talk to you now! She'll probably never want to talk to you again! " _God,_ Shoko reflected,_ I'm so tired of his self-centeredness._ "Do you realize how often you broke her heart? How much your selfishness keeps hurting her? I wouldn't be surprised if she never wants to see you again!"

"You don't know her!" He banged his fists against his knees. "You don't know her like I do! She's my best friend! She's has to forgive me!"

"I know that you made her cry Sho!" Shoko threw the truth at him like daggers, each hitting their emotional mark. "I know you treated her like a maid, then a game! You pretty much just told her that she's worthless!"

"I know! I know she's not worthless! I was just so angry I lost control!" Sho gritted his teeth and closed his eyes tight. "I didn't want to see her like that again! I don't want her to care about anyone else like that!" He opened his eyes, stormy blue clouds watery with frustration. "I love her damn it!"

Shoko sat there, stunned, as she watched the tears wash down his face. She had never seen him so upset. He had gotten angry before. She had seen pouty, hysterical, sleepy, serious…but nothing had exposed this emotion in him. Shoko doubted even he knew how deeply he felt.

She watched him wipe his eyes in the same angry way Kyoko had, as if their own tears were betraying them. The musician was suffering more now than he had ever before. Turning to the wheel, the car began moving again, falling back into uneasy silence.

"Sho…Have you heard the saying 'If you love something, let it go?'" Her voice was softer now, almost apologetic. "It's the only thing I can suggest to you now."

"…do you think she's really gone?" He said softly, resigned. His eyes were drier when he turned to his manager again, but troubled. "How can I apologize?"

"She may be gone." The elder of the two said, choosing truth rather than sugar coating things like she usually did. She slowed down, reaching another red light. "You know she loved you. And you really hurt her. I don't know how you can apologize, but I just suggest you stay away from her for now."

"…but I have to apologize…I have to…" He muttered, looking down at his feet.

She heard the car door click open, and turned to see him jump out onto the wet street.

"SHO! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" Shoko cried, leaning over to try and grab his hand. She wanted to reprimand him, but she didn't think he'd go _insane_. He stood at the door, just out of arm's reach. The red light washed over him, as he leaned in.

"I'm sorry Shoko! I made a bet with that long-legged pretty boy!" The musician shouted, determination evident in his voice. "Meet me in the crash lounge tomorrow! I'll be there!"

With the slam of the door, he was gone.

* * *

He held his breath as he pressed the 14th floor button in the elevator - the floor to his apartment. The golden elevator doors slid shut with a pleasant ding, and the elevator began to rise. He leaned against the elevator railing, his head down, and his hands rubbing his tired eyes.

All night. Hour after hour of looking around, still he had come up with nothing. It shouldn't have been a surprise; Tokyo one of the biggest metropolises in the world. Still, there was only one Mogami Kyoko and it seemed like it should have been easy to find her.

Ren cursed the storm. The roads were already empty when he had gone for dinner. There was no one after dinner either. If the sky had been clear, there would have been plenty of witnesses. He could have tracked her easily; she was always one to stand out in a crowd. Actually, he reflected with a snicker, she was one to zoom through a crowd at break-neck speed. She had done it for him when she was his manager, and she would have done it for her best friend. You couldn't miss someone like that.

Driving his car around and around, he looked into every open restaurant, café, and convenience store in a 10 mile area. Any place that had an 'Open' sign lit, he stepped in and looked around. Most places were practically empty, aside from a few workers and a couple of stragglers. Then when he was sure she was not in the area, he'd drive back to the Darumaya, and look for her signature bike.

He knew she had to be okay, once he saw that the restaurant had gone dark. She had probably called her landlords, told them not to worry, and that she was either going to be staying somewhere else or would be back late. Otherwise the Satous would have kept the lights on and waited for her.

If he simply went in and asked, that would have ended his search immediately. He was sure the matriarch would tell him. But if he did, he'd have to look the Taichou in the eye, and Ren was sure he couldn't keep the emotion off his face. He didn't want to admit to what he'd done to hurt the one they cared about.

There was only one more hope. One last crazy place he hoped she would be. It was a long shot, but it _could_ make sense. Kyoko did have his key. She might be waiting for him, sitting there at the entrance of his apartment. Whether she had tissues in her hands or an axe, it didn't matter. If she had questions, he would answer. If she wanted to destroy him, he would let her. If she wanted to tell him goodbye...

"14th Floor" the automatic elevator spoke, as it always did in its bright and cheerful voice. The doors chimed open, and he stepped out.

Everything looked so normal. This hallway, this building, the whole city looked like nothing had happened. He couldn't help but glance at the manicured pots that dotted the corridor, the florescent light that shimmered from above, even the lights of the city that crept through the window. It was all so normal that it didn't make sense.

In less than a week, his world was upside down, and yet the rest of Japan just moved on like nothing happened.

_But something's not normal. The lights are on, inside my apartment_...

He could see the streak of thin light, like hope, shining through the cracks against his door.

His heart both rose and fell; excitement and worry, anguish and relief, at the thought she was in there. Ren paused at the lock, holding his key halfway to its mate.

Would she see the bet as a betrayal? Would she banish him from her life? Swear revenge? Or would she look at him through tears? Like she did when he encountered her in the forest so many years ago?

How she reacted would be dependent on how she felt about the situation, and him. He had to tell her his side, in hopes that she could, at the very least, not cast him away completely.

The lock clicked its release. Like a sinner into his pyre, Ren pushed the door open a smidge and peeked into his apartment. His heart pounded in his ears as he noticed the guest slippers missing. With a last push, he widened his door all the way.

* * *

He looked as if the liquor sucker-punched him into a drunken lull. His glasses sat partly askew, his suit jacket was off, and his shirt was ruffled and no longer tucked in.

Ren had to admit his manager looked just as undignified as he was planning to be; sitting on the floor, leaning on his couch with the brandy bottle on the edge of the table. It certainly wasn't the hellfire he had expected to come home to. Ren entered his apartment, his heart in twisted in disappointment.

Hearing the snap of the closing door, Yashiro eyelids immediate jumped up, jolted back into consciousness after dozing off. "Kyoko?"

Seeing that it wasn't the actress, Yashiro sighed and let his head droop back down. "…Oh it's you Ren." The actor remained silent. "I was hoping…she would come here to try and see you."

If his straight-laced manager found that there was a need to resort to alcohol, the situation was bad. Ren made a beeline to the liquor cabinet, to pull out a cup and some ice for his own brandy. He hadn't restocked the drinks since he had gotten through Dark Moon, and he hoped his manager hadn't finished it yet.

"I see you haven't found her yet…" The manager said hesitatingly, noticing Ren's silence. "I couldn't reach you." Yashiro lifted up his right arm, looked at it, and laughed sadly. "I grabbed the cell phone bare handed, and when that broke, I ran to the LME phone…"

The manager laughed weakly, and took another sip of his own amber alcohol. "I hope they're able to have the network back up by tomorrow."

Finally regaining the ability to talk, the astonishment of seeing his manager in his home and inebriated before dawn fading, Ren sat down on the long sofa and poured himself a drink. "I guessed it was something like that. I tried calling back."

"I was just at my desk…" Yashiro started talking, without any prompt. "It was just a normal night... Making the schedule, filling out paperwork, talking with the public relations department about your image…then she came out of nowhere…"

"She?" Ren questioned, swallowing a large gulp of the firewater. It pleasantly burned his throat, a temporary distraction.

"No, not Kyoko." Yashiro responded, assuming he was talking about the red-headed actress. "Aki Shoko came to visit me. You probably don't know remember who she is. We met her when we were doing that Dark Moon location shoot."

Yashiro launched into the story in great detail, outlining how both women came to find out about the wager between the two male celebrities. Ren listened intently, keeping a blank face as his mind ran a mile a minute.

"Well she punched him in the gut and he fell like a sack! I bet she was furious at the both of you, but luckily he was one that was there. She apparently has one hell of a punch. She pretty much demanded that Aki-san help her, and they both dragged him downstairs."

The silence hung heavy in the air, as Yashiro finished his rendition of the story. Ren drank deeply and Yashiro watched him, worried.

"I'm sorry Ren. I really am." Yashiro burst out, breaking the silence.

"Yashiro…" Ren sighed, annoyed.

"I thought you two would work so well together. I just wanted you two to be happy…"

"_Yashiro_…" He said warningly, sounding irritated.

"I bet if we meet her in the locker room the first thing this morning…"

"Damn it Yashiro, your meddling has already messed up my life!" His fury caught them both off guard. The alcohol splashed over the table, Ren bringing the cup down hard enough to crack the glass. He shot to his feet, towering over his manager. Yashiro fell back into the chair, stunned. "You were determined to get me close to her and now the girl I love probably thinks she's worthless. Is that not enough for you?"

"I…I'm sorry Ren…I really am…"

Ren crashed on the couch, and put his head between his legs. He twisted his fingers in his hair, and held it as if it were splitting in two. Yashiro went over to put his hand on the actor's shoulder, then pulled away, thinking better of it.

"I guess I've failed you as a manager." He fixed his glasses, and got to his feet. "I…I'll see myself out…and turn in my resignation tomorrow."

"Resignation?" Ren repeated questioningly, rolling the word around on his tongue. "Resignation…That might work…"

"I know Ren, I'm leaving…" Yashiro wearily mumbled, halfway across the room towards the door.

"No Yashiro…I'll quit."

"You'll quit? Quit what?"

"Acting."

"WHAT?" Yashiro was at his side in a flash, shaking the twenty-one year old like a child's rattle. "No Ren, you can't!"

"It's what needs to be done." He said, brushing off the frenzied attack. The severity of his statement washed over the room. "I told myself I would come clean and tell her she was worth more than the bet. But I know now she won't believe me… So if I quit show business…if I never act again, hopefully she'll believe me then."

"Ren, you worked your whole life to get to this point! You're going to throw it all away?"

The silence hung in the air, only for a few moments. Just enough time to let the words sink into both their heads.

"I'm not throwing it away, Yukihito. I love acting, but if I had to choose…I know which one I'd rather have in my life." Ren sighed and picked up the glass.

"Don't worry…" Ren said, twirling the ice in his cup with the flick of his wrist. "I'll give you a glowing recommendation. I'm sure you'll have another charge by the end of the day…Hopefully one who has an interesting personal life." Ren laughed lightly, taking a sip of his drink.

Yashiro laughed soberly, and sat next to his charge. "I don't know if I can be someone's manager after having to follow you around. I've had more than enough scandal this week to make up for the rest of your boring career."

Pausing for a moment, reflecting on his decision, Yashiro filled his glass and raised it in a toast. "To the successful career Tsuruga Ren held…"

Ren smiled paradoxically, and gave a small acknowledgment of the toast. He raised his glass to his lips to drink, not realizing Yashiro had yet to finish it.

"…and to the happiness of the future couple he's giving it up for."

Tsuruga choked, as Yashiro shot the remains of his drink, put the glass down hard, and stood up to get his jacket. Determined not to make the same mistake twice, he went to grab his heavy duty latex gloves and his charge's cell phone.

After the sputtering and coughing subsided, Ren paused, reflecting over his best friend's words.

No longer was Yashiro simply a manager. In truth, Yashiro hadn't been just a manager almost as long as Kyoko hadn't been just his kohai. He was amazed at the depth his emotional connections in Japan took. Looking towards the high rise window, he realized the sun peaked over the horizon.

It was an incredible, breathtaking sunrise. The night's indigo sky shattered under the sun's presence. Its rays pierced the darkness, and the low orb hovered over the edge of the Tokyo's landscape. The colors were amazing, full of red, pink, and gold. The most amazingly rich gold he had only seen in one other setting, in only one person.

It had been an incredible run. He went from an angry, unfocused teenager riding on the coattails of his parents and ignoring directors' visions, to an idol of an entire country; his father's country. Kuon was so determined to make his parents proud of him, to feel deserving of their unabashed love and unflinching loyalty even at the worst of times.

He still hadn't accomplished what he wanted to do. He had done so many shoots, dramas, and movies that he never would have been able to accomplish in America, but it still wasn't enough. His father had seen him as an actor, a successful one, and shook his hand as if he were on the same standing. His mom would be proud of him even if he were a window washer. But he was supposed to go to America on his own successful terms to earn his parents love. A love he should have lost, after doing what he had done.

Still...He had left Hizuri Kuon behind for the sake of love. It was time for Tsuruga Ren to do the same.

"It seems no one's willing to argue about attendance when they just want to get back to bed" Yashiro laughed, as he emerged again from the hallway. "I wish I knew this trick before."

"Done already?" Ren asked, smiling lightly for the first time since dinner.

"Almost," Yashiro said, scrolling though Ren's phone for the person he had in mind. "I've cleared off most your schedule today. We'll need to go to the office and write your letter of resignation for your larger productions. But before we can cancel anything beyond today, I have to make at least one more call. I know he won't like this, so I saved the most important one for last…"

_The President_

"Should we tell him why you want to quit?" Yashiro asked, covering the mouthpiece.

"I don't think that would be a good idea…" Ren said dryly. This was the _last_ thing Yashiro should talk about with the President in his opinion. Lory was the joker in the deck of cards – sometimes good luck, sometimes bad, but never predictable.

"Good morning Takarada-san." Yashiro said confidently, straight into polite business mode. Ren listened to the one side of conversation he could hear. "I hope I haven't woken you."

"Well I'm glad I wasn't the first one to wake you."

"No sir, this isn't a call to catch up and chat."

"I'm sorry to bother your relaxation in Russia."

"No…I didn't get an e-mail about Ren showing up on Bridge Rock again. We tried Bridge Rock earlier this week."

"I understand that, but I don't think an actress playing as Ren's girlfriend will dispel the suspicion sir."

Yashiro gulped, and plunged in.

"The reason I called? Well...um…I'm afraid Tsuruga-san has decided to leave LME and show business in general."

The room got very quiet, as Ren watched with interest at Yashiro's face. His expression seemed to have gone blank, and the actor couldn't guess what the president was saying on the other line.

"No sir, I did not try to talk him out of it. I support his decision."

"Yes, I understand the consequences, and I'm sure he does too, sir."

"Hold on. I will put the phone on speaker." A quick press of the button and Ren was able to hear Lory's voice as well.

"Ren?" The President asked, his voice simple and strong. "Is this true? You would like to leave LME?"

"Yes. I am asking to be let go immediately." Ren said, sounding just as strong and firm.

"You know this means you will be let go too, Yashiro-san?"

"Yes sir."

Ren looked at his manager, in guilt and surprise. A pregnant pause passed.

"Request denied."

"…I'm sorry?" Yashiro asked, disbelieving.

"Request denied. You are both under contract for the next two years. You cannot quit without filing a grievance, and taking it up with our Human Resources division."

"We have a Human Resources division?" It had to be _now_ the president spoke like a president? Yashiro had been expecting the President to be crying buckets already.

"On the fifth floor, behind the soda machines." Lory said flatly, sounding as if all Human Resources departments were hidden in obscure, unexpected places.

"But…but…This would be for the best! What about the rumors?" Yashiro stuttered, stumped.

"If we were to let go of every employee who had rumor issues Yashiro, there'd be no company."

Both of them hung onto the dead air in silence. He wasn't going to let either of them go.

"I don't understand what's happened to all my children." Lory sniffed, taking a moment for what the men imagined as a moment to dab his eyes. "It's not even daylight out…"

_It's like half a year of darkness in Northern Siberia… _

"…and yet two of my lovelies have already told me they wanted to leave me."

"Two!" In a flash, Ren was on his feet, holding the cell in his own hands. "What do you mean?" Both men crowded by the phone. They looked at each other, afraid of what they might hear.

"Kyoko-chan called a little before you did. She thanked me for everything I did, and told me she'd be okay on her own. Wouldn't tell me anything else, I'm afraid." The president's sigh was deep and worried. "It's really a disappointment. You both have so much skill yet you just want to throw it away…"

"You…surely you didn't just let her go?" Yashiro asked hesitantly.

He had created LoveMe specifically for Kyoko. Lory wouldn't be the type to just lay there and allow one of his favorite actresses and his granddaughter's "onee-chan" just _leave_ with a simple phone call. If he woudn't let Ren go, there was no way he would have let her go.

"Kyoko was not under an acting contract. She was only seventeen, and technically without her guardians' permission we were not legally able to sign her. We got it to work by assigning LoveMe as a job; a job which she is legally allowed to quit. You, however, are not."

Clearing his throat, Lory returned the topic.

"So I trust you'll be at the studio by four, Ren? The actress will be meeting you there. I hope you understand this is only business, nothing personal."

The actor weakly gave his word, and the call was cut.

"She's gone. Just like that." Ren laughed, in the forced, hiccup laugh that comes from people who have nothing left. He collapsed on the couch, stunned. "I… I couldn't even explain anything to her."

"No, she's not gone yet." Yukihito shook his head. "You were just willing to quit your acting life for her…you're not just going to back out without at least telling her how you feel, right? Not without a fight?"

Ren looked at his manager, then turned his head down in silence. Yashiro continued.

"I don't know where Kyoko's going, but she couldn't have gone far. We just have to make sure that everyone gets your message. That way, even she can't miss it."

"And how do you think we do that Yashiro? I know I am well known, but I am still an actor, not the prime minister. What could I possibly do that would garner everyone's attention?"

Smiling darkly, Yashiro slid himself around Ren's arm, and fluttered his lashes.

"It worked last week…"

* * *

**A/N: ****Wow guys! Thank you for all the reviews. I'm sorry for making some of you upset. Please don't cry! **

**I truly appreciate all the feedback I've gotten, and I can't tell you how often I read your reviews. (Seriously, at least three times a day. I need a life, but reviews make the loneliness less prominent.) I promise that there's some light-hearted humour in the near future (or at least an attempt of it).**

**So here's the beta situation. Poor **Runadaemon** got sucked back into the stresses of real life, so I had to search for another victi-I mean guest beta-reader **J Luc Pitard**. I got great feedback from ****both of them (which I hope I was able to use properly and improve with)****, but unfortunately I'll likely be away from my laptop in the near future. My aunt had her baby prematurely, and there might some bumpy times ahead. They live on the other end of the US – so that means unexpected road trip with the family. **

**Sooo, I followed the suggestions, asked the poor sap who got swindled into loving me to grammar edit, and now I'm posting this before I get the all clear. I might go back and fix some more things if/when I do get the "perfected" chapter.**

**Now don't fret. The next chapter's mostly done as well. Still needs proofing. I'm not sure how long I'll be "gone" gone (if any), but if it's longer than expected I'll find some public library and try to upload the next chapter from there.**

**Forgive me for the long author's note. I just want to make everything clear. Daisuki! Daisuki! ****Minna ga daisuki!**** (I love you! I love you! I love you all!) *glomp***

**P.S.: For all you Francophones, Hermi-ko offered to translate my story into French. *swoons* So keep an eye out for it in the future, if you want to read it in the language of amour. *lol* Sorry…**


	15. Day Seven, Afternoon: TsuruGAY Ren

**Terms to know: The literal translation of Seme is "Attacker" or the Pursuer and Uke means "Receiver" or the Pursued. If you're aware of the context this is usually in, you probably already have an idea of what's coming. **

**And yes, I've read and watched them all. Three points if you have too. Five if you get Yashiro's badge reference. Runa beta'ed, and I couldn't thank her more. (Of course, I still tweaked things, so any errors are my own.)  


* * *

**

Ren had never been inside his manager's apartment before. It wasn't that Yashiro barred him from entering; it was just that there was never the opportunity to see inside. He valued punctually just as much as Ren did. Usually Yashiro waited in front of his building in the morning and hopped out at night. Both went about their private lives separately. On the few occasions they did decide to keep each other company, it was commonly somewhere public like a restaurant or bar. In a strange way, Ren was glad he was finally able to see what his manager called home.

"Make yourself comfortable Ren. I'm just trying to find something more suitable for today." Yashiro called out from behind his bedroom wall.

It was a pretty big apartment by Tokyo's standards. It was on upper floor with a nice view, located in an affluent neighborhood, and looked well maintained. Everything was new and shiny. From the light bamboo furniture, to the rice paper blinds and the tatami mat flooring, everything screamed Japanese traditional. The few electronics Yashiro owned looked out of place, and almost every one of them (excluding his laptop) was wrapped in a thin layer of plastic. Apparently no electronic was safe from his curse.

"Why does everything I own look so old?"

What surprised Ren was his bookshelf. Not really _a_ bookshelf, but a wall of nothing but shelves. All dedicated to manga, with a few anime figurines strategically placed. The books were a multitude of baby blues, duck yellows, spring greens, and other florescent colours. They were all alphabetized too. Obviously well cared for, some showed signs of handling, while others sat with the price stickers still on. He ran his finger along the horizontal titles of various volumes.

_Boys Over Flowers. Card Captor Sakura. Fruits Basket. Fushigi Yuugi. Hana-Kimi. Kaichou wa Maid-sama. Kimi Ni Todoke. Marmalade Boy. Ouran High School Host Club. Sailor Moon. _(Ren winced. That was one he'd heard of.) _Shugo Chara._ _Vampire Knight_.

Only one laid out of place. Pink and bright, he could read the book's spine from across the room. _Sukippu Bito: _Volume one. He went to pick it up, but the sliding shoji screen opened, diverting his attention.

"Done! I can't believe this still fits me…"

The first thing Ren noticed was the glasses. Mainly the lack of them. Without them his manager looked much younger, though with them Yashiro barely looked older than him anyways. His hair was also different. Usually combed and neatly flattened, now it was meticulously messy with the perfect amount of gel to hold it in place. It was the outfit however, that really made him change. The black pants, steel blue shirt, and gray tie were normal enough, but it was the jacket that did it.

"Isn't that a school uniform?" Ren deadpanned, pointing to the golden coat of arms on his white jacket pocket. The emblem had angel wings, and a "S-A" embroidered within the middle. He was sure no jacket like that was ever made for street wear. "Yashiro...Are you trying to make me look like a pedophile too ?"

"I don't look _that _young," Yashiro muttered, fixing the gray tie that went around his shirt collar. "Besides..." the manager added cheekily, a bemused grin rising on his face. "I would have thought you'd appreciate the irony of a high school uniform."

Ren glared.

"Oh, and call me by my first name Ren. No one is going to believe us if they hear us formally addressing each other."

"I thought this was just to attract attention _Yukihito_." Ren rolled the name off his tongue sarcastically. "I think going out with _any_ male is going to attract attention. Being believable doesn't matter."

"All I know is that if I'm going to embarrass myself for your sake, I'm going to do it right." Yashiro said firmly. He walked to the bookshelf, and delicately placed _Sukippu Bito_ back in its rightful place. "This is probably the only time I'll be able to put any of my literature to personal use, and I want to be assured Kyoko hears what you want to say." Pulling out one of his treasured collection, he thumbed through the pages for a useful reference. "Now since you're Japan's number one actor, base your character on this."

* * *

Knocking lightly and hearing nothing, the beautiful manager entered the Queen Records' private guestroom. Well decorated and comfortable, it was the common crashing place for musicians who needed a break during recording sessions. Since Sho was one of those types, he was well aware of the hotel-like arrangements. It was the only place he could have meant. She figured he'd be in the room, sleeping the night off.

The room was empty, but only of people. The place looked like a whirlwind hit it. The pillows and bed sheets were thrown every which way. Soda cans sat haphazardly on flat surfaces. A few pieces of furniture were overturned. And then there was the _paper_. Papers were sprawled all over the room. Some left crumpled by the waste basket, some left knocked over by the desk. It was a white, crinkled carpet.

In the middle of the table sat the only stack of papers that looked organized. It naturally drew her in; the only sense of order to an otherwise chaotic room. Making sure to tiptoe around the litter, she made her way to the table and sat on the edge of his couch. She took the pile of papers and brought it into focus. It was in English, but the words were in noble calligraphy.

**Odes For The Mogamigawa **

She knew what the Mogami River was. It was a large river, not too far from her hometown. "For" and "The" was easy enough to understand too. It was the word "ode" that confused her. Determined to figure out the title, Shoko pulled out her cell phone and typed "ode" into the internet search bar.

"An ode is typically a lyrical verse written in praise of, or dedicated to someone or something which captures the poet's interest."

_Lyrics? ...No way…is this a new album? _She shuffled through the seventy or so pages that made up the set. Some had tired, crooked lines, in the same messy way he usually wrote his lyrics. Most had sheet music, neatly penned, full of crescendos and directive notes for the band.

_He did this all in one night?_ _How? Why?_

Pulling out one of the non-musical sheet notes, she browsed over one of the paragraphs at random.

**If I took you for granted  
I apologize for acting tough  
You're my reason for living  
And there's no way I'm giving up**

The lyrics caught her by surprise. Sho rarely did songs about love, and had _never_ apologized in his songs before. _Was this about Kyoko? _Quickly shifting the pages around, she came to another page and quickly read it over.

**Can't believe I could think that she would just follow me everywhere I go  
I wrestle with you in my dreams and wake up making love to a pillow  
And I fall asleep and dream of alternate realities  
And I put myself at ease by pretending that she still loves me**

Blushing deeply, Shoko stopped reading the page there. The lyrics almost felt like his diary, more than just some words put to a song.

_There was no way this song could be about anyone other than Kyoko... But where did the Mogami River come into play? _

Wanting to make sure she was right, she pulled out the last page.

**I'm not fine, I'm in pain  
It's harder everyday  
Maybe we're better off this way  
It's better that we break, baby… **

Shoko smiled sadly, and returned the stack to its proper resting place. She should have known Sho would never take no as an answer. If he was determined to apologize, Sho would do it. Stomping through the mess, she switched off the light and went in search of the lyricist.

* * *

"If this all works out Ren, I expect the baby to be named after me. And I want to be the godfather." The 'high school' man muttered discreetly, digging deep into his glass to extract some of the caramel syrup.

"Hmm?" Ren made through the sound of his spoon, barely tasting the raspberry mousse pudding.

"No girl will ever want me after this gets out." Yukihito whined, digging into the rest of his extra large, triple chocolate ice cream parfait.

Mindful of watching eyes, Ren clearly saw how many girls had their gaze on his manager, surrounding the security Plexiglas. He tilted his head to the side, pointing them out. "There are plenty of girls watching appreciatively now."

An exclusive dessert café to only the Tokyo elite, the two men sat relatively relaxed at their table, enjoying the sunshine that filtered through the crystal wall. It was a relatively secluded place, with private security that allowed in only the rich and famous. It was one of the few places the pair enjoyed going to whenever they had time to spend between jobs. Ren for the privacy, and Yashiro for his massive sweet tooth.

Still, they had to be seen, and to be seen meant they had to have an audience. Yashiro requested a seat right beside the clear wall; that, along with a simple anonymous phone message to a gossip blog, was all it took. By the time the waiter came around, about a hundred camera phones and noses pressed themselves against the privacy glass. They were sure there'd be thousands more who saw this scene by the time they left, likely on YouTube or Entertainment-Japan. It was akin to being an exotic specimen on a human scale ant farm.

"They're not watching for _me_. They're squealing about _us." _Yashiro retorted. He pouted, and the female spectators collectively aw'ed. _ "_I can hear them saying things like "seme" and "uke." Even worse, they're saying I'm the uke."

Ren looked at him, perplexed.

"It's something you have to read about to understand." Yashiro said, blushing lightly and looking away. "Let's just say your plan is working."

"May I remind you this was your idea?" The actor said, mildly amused.

"I was riddled with guilt and alcohol. A manager isn't perfect."

"I don't think I've ever attracted this many people before. Your plan is working perfectly enough."

"I know it is." Yashiro went to push up his glasses, but stopped once he felt his bare face. "My e-mail has been bombarded with talk show requests. Your LME fan-page has five times the usual viewers today, and it's only eleven am. It seems the shoneni-ai culture is still going strong. Still Ren..." He dropped his voice. "The fact you're willing to go this far surprises even me. For someone who wasn't even willing to entertain the idea of courting you-know-who, the fact you're intentionally causing a media frenzy like this, so that you can confess to one girl in front an entire nation, and say you're willing to quit for her. it's very...well it's not like you. Romantic, but a little..." There was a pause to search for the right word. "...maladroit. Clumsy."

Ren looked at his 'date' with mild surprise. Clumsy was not a word he ever thought would be attached to his name. Especially regarding romance. Charming the opposite sex was second nature for him. Of course, he had fell for the only one that was impervious to his typical charm. She always left him guessing and scrambling, wondering what he could do to get closer to her. Even now, sitting in a cafe, pretending to be gay, so he could confess to the world his sincerity about her though giving up his biggest desire in life; it _was_ clumsy.

He slowly began to chuckle, which increasingly rose, turning into all-out laughter. Yashiro watched on with nervous surprise, a bit embarrassed at his own words and his charge's response. Ren casually wiped a humored tear away, thinking about how only one week neatly undid his entire life in Japan.

"'If love becomes serious, you'll lose your composure. It makes one not care anymore. Even if…he looks lame and messy'...someone wiser than I told me that...and I'm afraid he's right." Ren repeated the line softly, almost more to himself than to anyone else. Dropping his spoon in his cup, Ren gave one of his heart-stopping smiles, and looked at Yuki. "Shall we move on then?"

"Okay, I guess so." Yashiro sighed. "We told the president we'd do Bridge Rock, and it's best to keep to the schedule."

"Wait," Pulling on the white sleeve before his partner got up from his chair, Ren pointed at Yashiro's face. "You have some cream on your cheek."

"Really?" Yukihito said, reaching up to touch his cheek. He paused, remembering something, then brought his hand back to the table. "Wait…I know this scene. You should wipe off the spot yourself."

The wind blew a plastic wrapper across the scene, a classic touch to Ren's face of bewilderment. "They do that in stories for little girls?" Ren whispered harshly, obviously disarmed at the entire aspect.

"It's for all genre and ages Ren. Just do it. It's not exactly pleasant for me either." Yashiro bent low to look like he was licking his cup, hissing his instruction."Look, I have zero interest in you Ren, but I know this culture." He spoke so softly that the actor couldn't really hear him, but luckily his lips were easy to read. "You want girls talking? You have to do the hallmark things. I'm trying to be the innocent high school boy who loves sweets and is unaware of your pursuit. Now, smirk, lean over the table and flick the cream off with your finger."

Yashiro pulled back, and pretended to lick his spoon. "And make sure you don't blush. You need to look like you're trying to seduce me."

Getting up and leaning forward, Ren's facial features changed. His lips quirked at the edges, smiling in his best predatory grin. Yashiro's cheeks instantly went pink, as Ren's eyes became narrowed in desire, and he leaned over the table.

"_You've made a mess again, Yuki.._." His deep voice growled, just loud enough so that a few onlookers could hear. Dragging his long finger against the sticky mess, the Emperor dabbed away at the speck of cream from his manager's cheek, and popped the sweet substance in his mouth.

A collective fan-girl squeal erupted from the block, breaking the nearby car windows. Several of the girls in the front fainted, as Yashiro went from pink to boiling tomato red.

_I guess I am the uke…

* * *

_

Shoko wandered into the music studio's sound booth, attracted by the red recording light. It was pretty rare for one to record on a Friday. She had walked along most of the halls of Queen Records, and she hadn't seen one more scratch of proof that Sho was still in the building, This was one of the few places she hadn't checked.

**I asked her to stay but she wouldn't listen  
She left before I had the chance to say  
The words that would mend, the things that were broken  
But now it's far too late, she's gone away**

She had worked with him for more than a year. She had seen the improvement he had achieved all throughout his career. He had small increments of improvements during the time, and he had jumps, like after the situation with Vie Ghoul. But _this_, the sound of his voice was _nothing _likehe had ever done before.

**Every night you cry yourself to sleep  
Thinking "Why does this happen to me?  
Why does every moment have to be so hard?"  
Hard to believe that**

He cradled the hanging microphone like a butterfly, as if it were the only thing that mattered. It was touchingly beautiful yet heart wrenching, to see his face and his voice cry out in such an affectionate way. The band behind him played in awe, unable to fall out of step with his melody.

**It's not over tonight  
Just give me one more chance to make it right  
I may not make it through the night  
I won't go home without you**

So enthralled by Fuwa's tender performance, the twin sound technicians didn't notice her enter. She had to tap the two men on the shoulder, and only then did they swivel in their chairs. Like most people who've been cooped up together in a confined space for long periods of time, the two were tuned into each other's thoughts, and played their conversations off each other.

"Aki-san? You're finally here."

"What happened to Fuwa?"

"Yeah, it's like he's went through a transformation."

"He called everyone up personally, and asked us if we could come in and work with him on his new album."

**Of all the things I felt but never really shown  
Perhaps the worst is that I ever let you go  
I should not ever let you go**

"The kid is crazy for thinking he can hammer out a CD in a week, and a new single by the end of today. Still…I have to give him credit."

"Yeah, I've never heard him like this before. Whatever touched him, it really hit him hard."

"It's like he's singing his heart out."

**I won't go home without you…**

"His _is_ singing his heart out…" Shoko said, smiling faintly.

**I won't go home without you…**

As the last chords ran though, Shoko leaned over and pushed a button on the soundboard. The microphone turned on, and she leaned towards it to speak.

"Twenty minutes guys. Take a break…and good job."

As the band exited, they patted the singer on the back, congratulating him on the passionate performance. Sho took it all with an acknowledging nod, much different than the aloof, confident act he used to play. She had to admit it impressed her.

Walking out last, Sho looked at Shoko and smiled at her wearily. He wore tired circles around his eyes, but his expression had changed from last night. It was like his heart was lighter, after pouring his emotion into his voice.

"Come on Sho, let's get you something to eat."

* * *

**News Flash: TsuruGAY Ren Suspected Of Coming Out The Closet!**

"Manami, stop crying! It's not the end of the world!" The male host looked at his co-host with thinly veiled annoyance, edging away from the saltwater puddle that slowly made its way towards his side.

Manami banged her fists on the fake wood table, in the middle of throwing a tantrum on live TV."Of course it is, Kenta! It's the end of my dream world!"

A collage of photos ran through the screen, one where the two men were going shopping, entirely too close to be publicly appropriate, another where they were entering an unidentified apartment together, and the last one a grainy camera video shot of Ren wiping the cream off the other man's cheek.

The hostess openly wailed as the camera panned back to her, mascara and heavy makeup washing down her face. "It's so not fair! It's noooooot faaaaaair! Why is it all the cute ones?"

"You know Manami" Kenta swiveled to face her with a charming smile, cupping her hands in comfort. "_I'm_ single and _I'm_ interested in women."

Manami tears stifled a bit, looking over at her grinning co-host. Her lip quivered and she took a wavering breath, before promptly starting to wail again. Shrugging at the rejection, the camera zoomed on the male announcer.

"Well we know that Tsuruga Ren will be appearing on LME's Bridge Rock to make an announcement at seven pm tonight. We're sure everyone will be tuning in to confirm what we think we're seeing! See you then!"

Both manager and charge dropped their trays, slack jawed.

* * *

**A/N: I've been writing a chapter before this, but I just can't seem to get it right. So I decided to scrap it. You guys don't need to read more sadness. I hope **_**this**_** didn't cause any tears. ****I might make all the "deleted scenes" an omake at the end of the story. I've actually written quite a bit in past chapters which I've decided to scrap. It'd be interesting to make them a side story, right? (Although the ending still feels a bit far off.) **

**I'm kinda socially awkward...and I want to apologize...but I'm really nervous..so I'll dedicated this chapter to that person in hopes they know I appreciate every criticism and review they give me, and I am going to reference the fact the actress is acting as a "beard" somehow in future chapters.**

**I love all my reviewers. Especially ones that come back after long periods of time or write lengthy reviews to what they like or don't like. I don't feel I'm nearly as good of a writer as some of you say. I'm just sharing some amusing daydreams. Thank you for making this my most reviewed story.  
**

**"Remise en question" by Hermi-ko is the French translation of Batting For The Other Team, so if you read or like to pretend you can read French (like me), go and take a look! Thanks Hermi-ko!**

**All lyrics belong to Maroon 5 and their respected media giants. (I've actually imagined Sho sounding like this particular singer. *nervous laughter*) In order of reference "Back At Your Door," "Can't Stop," "****Better That We Break" and "****Won't Go Home Without You." Happy Halloween!  
**


	16. Day Seven, Afternoon: Lost & Found

**Thanks to _Toyoko _for being my guest-beta this chapter and making me write better!  


* * *

**

"Despite the…um…_questionable_ circumstances, this is a large opportunity. This is about close as a debut President Takarada will allow while you're still in LoveMe. Just stay to the script, and you'll have all the publicity you'll ever need.." He paused, watching her carefully as she stood up to leave. "...And try not to look so…unhappy. I'm sure Mogami-san will call in soon."

Unhappy. To say she was unhappy was the understatement of the century, but Sawara couldn't think of any other words to describe her condition as she shuffled away.

Actually, there were a million words that described her emotions at the moment. Concern. Irritation. Shock. Worry. Exhaustion. And now to add to the list…annoyance.

She thundered down the stairs to the LoveMe locker room, sending LME employees screaming and darting off in any direction that wasn't towards her. The usually straight black hair had an abundance of rogue stragglers, sticking up in every which way. Barely covered dark rings encircled her red eyes, itchy and droopy from the all-night, non-stop, unsuccessful searching and calling. Kyoko was missing for only roughly 12 hours, so Kanae knew the police wouldn't help looking. Her pink jumper was creased and disheveled, put on haphazardly when Sawara-san called her to the media conglomerate's headquarters and up to his desk.

Taking in the mini-script with a flurry of shuffled pages, the girl read and memorized her part by the time she made it to their customary hallway. Kanae tossed the useless book into the trash bin, having already memorized the disgusting words in a flash.

_It had to be now that the stupid President sent this damn LoveMe assignment. Damn President and his stupid ~love~ ideas. All three of the bastards could go to the seventh circle of Hell for all I care. I'm not going to save him from his nuclear media meltdown. _If the President wanted to kick her out of LME, well she'd just make it somewhere else. Her resume and connections were already made.

_AND THAT GIRL ISN'T **ANYWHERE**!_

Kanae rubbed her head furiously at the roots, a bad habit she had picked up from the missing LoveMe member. Kotonami had spent the entire night on that red bike, looking, calling and recalling, leaving message after message, all fruitless. She hadn't heard anything back from the usually clingy girl. The unusual silence was nerve wracking. Kanae had only wanted to warn her of their dirty scheme, she had had no desire to actually _hurt_ her. It was suppose to be for Kyoko's sake, and she had failed in more ways than one.

_That bastard..._ Kanae's blood boiled, remembering all the things that Fuwa had said to crush the girl further. It was lower than low, a last grab for power and control the stupid boy attempted to have over her friend. Moko cursed herself all night for not putting two and two together before leaving the building; for not realizing the musician's pride and jealously was the cause why he would actually look forward to his plot being found out, and why he had wanted to come for the ride. She was just too angry to look at it logically.

Having been subjected to many men's desires and desperation to have her, Kanae could read into Fuwa's actions as plainly as she could with a book now that all the cards were on the table. It definitely wasn't anything original. More often than not, pathetic schoolboys had called her more than a few bad things (bitchy ice queen was one of the more common names) suggesting that there was something wrong with her and not them for turning down their "confessions of love."

The singer was really just another second-rate brat, realizing he couldn't have what he wanted anymore, and that he was no longer her number one. So he wanted to both hurt her, and force her back.

She would have thought Kyoko would have realized something wasn't right as well…but then again Kyoko didn't have as much experience with foolish men as she had. She had admitted to Kanae long ago that the only person she was close to as a child was Sho, and her imaginary fairy prince.

Moko knew Kyoko had held Tsuruga in high esteem but Kyoko had never spoken about her mother before.

_Apparently her mother wasn't much of one at all, and that two-faced jackal...THIS WASN'T SUPPOSE TO HAPPEN! AHH!_

Frankly, it was easier to describe the few emotions she wasn't feeling, and the number one emotion she was lacking was happiness. And the root of all her scrambled emotions (as well as her raccoon face) knelt right in front of her locker, picking up her sneakers as if nothing had happened the night before, a neatly folded set of neon pink uniforms stacked on top of one another.

"Where the hell have you been?" Kanae stomped into the designated LoveMe room, a place where she usually started the day fending violently for her personal space. It unconsciously rattled her; today's lack of normalcy. Kyoko barely moved as the heavy door violently slammed shut. "I've been calling you all night!"

As she turned, Kotonami caught the look of heartbreak in her deadened eyes. The pained look hadn't eased at all; it had only intensified with a sort of resignation.

"You're leaving," Kanae said simply. It was a statement of the obvious, not a question. The words even caught herself off-guard, spoken aloud without a conscious thought. Kyoko nodded slowly and lowered her eyes, putting her work shoes into the over-sized duffel bag.

"Well then what other agency are you going to?" Kanae asked sternly, crossing her arms, her signature look. Kyoko said nothing, she only started packing her LoveMe pink jumpsuits one at a time. The lack of an answer made the pace of Moko's heart increase.

"Where are you going to go?" Again, there was no response.

"Do you know what you're going to do?" Unnerving silence. Kanae's voice grew higher, more worried and inquisitive.

_She wouldn't…_

"Are you even going to keep acting?"

Kyoko winced, confirming the taller LoveMe member's building fears.

"So you're just going to pretend you're worthless and disappear for a couple of idiots!" The world was going to end now, Kanae was convinced of it. The Queen of Grudges, throwing away all she had because of _them_? It was unimaginable. Kyoko wasn't the type to be hurt or broken. She was supposed to a blaze of revenge.

"I'm not pretending Moko-san." Kyoko stopped folding her ex-work clothes, and looked back towards Kanae with a sad smile. "I've known for a long time how little I'm worth."

* * *

_Her tiny hand stung at the slap, and she could feel the tears well up. The little girl bit her lip, determined not to cry again in front of her mother. She was well aware of what her mother thought of showing weakness, which was why the scene in front of her confused her even more._

"How often must I tell you to leave me alone?" _Sanae hissed angrily, pulling her head up to look at the disappointment in front of her._

"But Mama…" _Kyoko whimpered with a soft and uneasy voice. _"You're crying."

"So? What does it have to do with you?" _Her mother brought a tissue to her eyes, and rubbed the tears away. She_ _looked at her daughter through her fingers._ "Foolish child, do you think just because you cry, people will come and comfort you? I have no desire to deal with the ridiculous whims of a stupid girl coming to state the obvious."

_Kyoko hesitantly reached her hand out, wanting to touch her mother but knowing that the cost of it would be another slap. Her mother was a beautiful flame, and all she wanted to do was hold it. An impossibility. _"I want you to be happy Mama. I promise to try harder to make you happy. Just don't cry."

"You always promise, but you always fail. You're obviously flawed. No better than average. No use to anyone. I can't believe you're my daughter." _There was no venom or anger in her comment, only a tone of resigned recognition. The woman said it all in the same truthful simplicity she would if she were explaining the color of the sky._

"I can be useful Mama…" _She couldn't hold the tears back now, silently spilling down her youthful cheeks. Though she was used to the verbal onslaught that went with her mother's beauty, it still pierced her growing heart. Kyoko turned around and headed to her room, ready for a full night study session. She would prove herself worthy of her mother's love._

"I bet no one could love her." _Sanae whispered, returning to her tears. She didn't notice the small hand stiffen around the doorknob.

* * *

_

"My mother taught me long ago I'm unworthy of affection Moko-san. My mother said it. Shoutaro said it. R-...Ren..." Kyoko's throat clenched, and the tears she fought off began to defy her, falling like a river beginning to flood. "I'm better off..."

Kyoko bobbed towards the floor, the force of the strike catching her off-guard. Life flooded back into her molten eyes, barefaced shock. Kanae's hand was imprinted perfectly on her cheek.

"You're such an idiot." Kanae's face was streaked with tears, as her long arms encircled Kyoko, "I don't care who tells you that you're not worth anything. You're worth something to me! You're my best friend and I won't let you say such stupid things!"

"Mok-" Kanae hugged her best friend for dear life.

"Kanae-chan! My name is Kanae and you can't call me anything else but Kanae-chan! Baka! Baka! Baka! I'll never forgive you if you worry me like that again!"

For the first time in her life, the ice princess fell apart, sobbing into her best friend's shoulder. It felt strange; Kanae vaguely questioned how she had become the one to fall apart, when it was the other girl who had experienced so much. Kyoko even rubbed her back, trying to soothe her, even though she just been slapped by her best friend.

_So this is how A-ko felt…_

Even with her never-ending siblings, whenever her parents made it home they were able to show all their children some form of kindness. She figured Kyoko's parents would be like an older version of the girl: fanatical, overly adoring, and star-struck with their own child. Kanae wondered how the intolerable girl managed to show such stubborn compassion despite her past, putting others before herself, taking all the abuse experienced by others and internalizing it while always trying to meet others' expectations. The dumb girl was so perfect. She wondered how any mother could _not_ love a child like Kyoko - how _anyone_ could not love her.

"And don't you realize…That bastard! …Did you not hear that bastard last night?" Kanae pulled herself away, face to face with her best friend. Like her tears, all of Moko's ideas came pouring out, unable to contain them. She mimicked Fuwa's words. "I'm the only one who will help you. I'm the only one. Like it's meant to be! I'm your prince!" He's saying that not because he thinks you're worthless! It's because he doesn't want to lose you. He's saying it because he likes you!"

"Sho…like me?" Kyoko voice was shaky and hesitant, unsure of what was just said. She cocked her head to the side, looking at Kanae like she had grown a second head. "There's no way, Moko-san." Kyoko shook her head, letting the concept penetrate her mind even further. "It's absolutely impossible."

Moko threw her head down, sighing dramatically._ Of course she wouldn't believe me! She's in LoveMe for a reason. Still, that's the only thing that would make sense! But then...what about Tsuruga…where does he come into this?_

"As for that other idiot..." Kanae continued her string of thoughts out loud. "He's been hogging your attention for a lot longer than one week. He drives you home. He purposely looks out for you. He gave you that mutant rose for your birthday. No senpai treats their kohai that well..." Slowly, Kanae got up. She started pacing slowly, trying to put together the jigsaw pieces in her mind. "Something is missing...The whole story doesn't sound right. What would Tsuruga get from winning the wager? Why would the man even make the bet? Why would he even care about Fuwa Sho for that matter? He's a bigger star than the musician…and they don't even share the same field."

The actress paused, and looked at her friend, who looked back at her from the floor. Something flickered in the back of Kanae's mind, but she just couldn't grasp it.

"Come on..." Kanae took Kyoko's hand, helping her so that they were both on their feet. "We're going to get to the bottom of this. I know how to get to Tsuruga. If you still want to leave, then I'm coming with you. I can't let my rival get ahead of me."

* * *

**This is a bit shorter of a chapter than I've been writing lately, but since we're getting close to the climax, I want all the juicy parts to come out at the same time. Still, I don't want it to be long enough that you find yourself scrolling to see how much is left, or having to read the second part at another time. **


	17. Day Seven: The Stage Sets

The lazy sun crept down the horizon, casting lengthening shadows over the city of Tokyo. Golden sunlight died on the face of mirrored buildings. Citizens and tourists alike made their way in every which direction. Few take notice of the scenery around them. Most subconsciously hold their hats and skirts down, bundle up their jackets and overcoats, and grasp their bags and children tighter, as the fierce wind blows through.

"Slow down!"

People, stores, and signs whizz past. Crouched low in an aerodynamic position, the two riders pelt furiously toward TBM Studio. A sonic boom sends pieces of litter and earth flying through the miniature, girl-caused vacuum.

"What?"

Opening her eyes for the first time during the ride, the passenger's eyes filled with tears. Cold air continuously whips her face. Nervous at the thought that the slightest move might send her careening off the bicycle bullet, she shifts her head just a bit to yell near her friend's ear.

"SLOW DOWN!"

Instead of giving in, the driver pedals faster, shooting through lights and weaving through crowds no stuntman could ever hope to pull off safely. The tires began to smoke, and a trail of light rubber melts on the road.

"I can't Moko-san! I won't let you be late to a job because of my selfishness!"

Kanae clenched onto Kyoko's handlebars for dear life, as the speed demon shot in the direction of LME's branch studios. The frigid winds ribbons her long hair back as they launch at inhuman speed.

"YOU WANT IT TO BE BECAUSE OF MY _DEATH _INSTEAD?"

"_NOOOOOO_!"

Howling with despair at the thought, the bike immediately slows down to more typical speeds. The gears change from a molten red to a glowing shade of orange, as a few stunned bystanders notice the wild wind solidify into two humans and a bicycle.

Relieved at the return to normalcy and exasperated at the typical overreaction, Kanae painfully uncurled her stiff fingers from the handlebar, frozen in place from fear and the cold. She leans up, stretching her spine back into place, and giving Kanae a moment to wipe the reassured look off her face. Crazy speeds was a Kyoko she knew.

"Can't you ever just do things normally!"

"But Kana…"

"Why can't you do anything at less than 200 kilometers an hour!"

"Moko-s…"

"Ah mo! Just stop the bike and let me walk!"

Kyoko winced, knowing that if they weren't on the bike, her best friend would be glaring daggers, hands on her hips. "…I just wanted to get you there. You said you had a job." Kyoko still stopped to allow both of them to dismount. Her young, hesitant voice returning. "I don't want to hurt your LoveMe score…or cause any more trouble to anyone." Kanae watched Kyoko grab the handle bars, and wheel the bike forward with her head down.

The relief she felt at her friend's return drained away, seeing Kyoko walk so timidly. With no counter emotion to relieve her this time, Moko's ire began to manifest.

Disgust bubbled in the back Kanae's throat. It scratched at her consciousness. It riled her temper. It caught her off-guard, making her stop.

"If you don't want to cause me trouble…go back to the Kyoko I know." Kyoko stopped abruptly. She said nothing, but as she turned, the reflection of emotion in her eyes stirred her friend to continue brusquely. "I don't like who you are now."

_She was still seeing herself as a bother. Not only to her friends, but to __**that man**__ as well._

"You came into show business to defeat the guy that broke your heart and used you! You don't take things lying down. Yet you ran away! You ran like some love-sick puppy in a shoujo manga! My Kyoko wouldn't do that." Kotonami's chest weld up, writhing indignation on her friend's behalf. "I'm doing this job for you. You deserve answers. You deserve revenge. I know he'll be there. I want you to march up to him and slap him!"

"Moko-san!" The idea caused so much such distress that all color from Kyoko's face bled away, leaving her standing there like a 3D coloring sheet. "You want me to _hit Tsuruga Ren, the number one actor?"_

"No, I want you to hit a jerk who deserves it!" Each question was purposefully punctuated in venom. "Would the senpai you know allow rumors to fly around about him?" She baited the other expertly, with the insight only a cunning best friend could use. "Would he use his co-workers as a stepping stone?" Moko assured herself that twisting the knife would be the best way to get the strong Kyoko back. "Would he act like that jerk-face musician did!"

Kanae closed the distance between them and took Kyoko's face in her hands. She swiped away the tears on her friend's cheek, and bore into her with a tone of finality. "Get back to the vengeful girl that's my best friend!"

Infectious righteous anger flowed from one woman to the other. The color ran back into her. She fell silent as Kyoko's dark look sucked away her consciousness to the real world. The mental cogs became visible, cranking back up after a long time lacking the rage to do so. The air became heavy, as the stereotypical dark atmosphere began to enclose them both. For the first time, Kanae was relieved to see it.

"You're right Moko-san." Kyoko's eyes narrowed as the ghostly breeze swept her hair up and blew at the edges of her open LoveMe uniform. The neon pink caught both their eyes, a physical reminder of the emotion they were ostracized for lacking. "This is my battle suit. No more love…"*

* * *

Ren stepped into one of the many prop hallways, peeking his head around the corner first before taking refuge. He felt quite relieved at its desertion, reliably empty when he needed time to think around the Bridge Rock set. Yuki the boy toy was currently changing back to the ever-reliable Yashiro, his older and straighter manager. A change he greatly welcomed. There was only so much cream you could lick off your same-gendered friend before it became awkward (an infinitely minuscule number – with lots of decimal zeros and negative mathematical powers), even in acting terms.

Knowing better than to come into the studio together, he had come before his manager so that Yashiro could fix himself up and appear innocent and far removed of the day's events. Rarely had Ren dealt with massive crowds without his manager's freeze fan glare, and he appreciated it more than ever. It had been pandemonium even just getting into the building.

Now that he stood inside TBM studios, everything felt much more real. The reminder of what he would lose came from every direction. The cries of the crowds being seated made it deep into the building. The clatter of stage hands working on props and equipment. The mats on the prop cart he customarily sat on when he was having acting problems; where he had first run into 'The Advice Rooster.' It all existed. He was here. His plan was actually coming to fruition. Ren nervously ran his hands through his dark locks, letting his mind think to the near future. The very near future; less than an hour, judging by the nearby clock.

He certainly hoped that the three Ishibashi hosts were going to give him free reign over the first part of the show. The best thing he could do was to collect his courage and confess as soon as the camera started rolling. From there, he wasn't sure how anything would go. His whole life would become blank again. And judging by the crowds, there would be a lot of unhappy, unsure fans as well - prepared for the official announcement of his homosexuality.

_At least one person is happy about this whole thing…_

The director of Bridge Rock had been ecstatic. He had shaken the actor's hand more than a few times, thanking him for coming on during this monumental event and that there was nothing wrong with what he was doing. Of course, the small fact that network ratings were already estimated at 60% and would likely continue to rise as the start of the show grew closer, probably had a little something to do with it. Sixty percent viewership was already near record breaking numbers.

Ren vaguely wondered if the information had jumped over the ocean division by now, and to his parents. Since his dad knew his stage name, it wasn't impossible that his parents already knew what the Japanese industry was talking about.

"_**Kuu…Not only have you taken our son, we're not going to have any grandchildren to dote upon! Please…Lord…just take me now! I can see the light!"**_

He could just imagine his mother crying about her impending death, since the possibility of biological grandchildren would be mote. Then again, his parents knew of his various "girlfriends", so they'd likely not believe it. Still...

The phone was out in a matter of moments, dialing his home number. His real home number. A home he hadn't thought of as home for a number of years. He just hoped that the private number was still in use.

* * *

There was a rumble of noise in the distance; Kanae's ears perking up like a fox sensing danger. Her body slid into a conditioned protective walk. It sounded recognizable, like the shuffling of people fighting for a confined space. It was a very familiar noise, bringing back memories of the original Kotonami residence.

The chilly autumn evening did nothing to deter the ever-growing crowd. Two pink LoveMe girls, and a tired red bicycle skidded to a stop, barely a few feet behind the last members of huge hoard of people. Using a nearby pole, the bike was locked and they approached.

The commotion around TBM took over the entire street, zeroing in around the large production building. Kyoko looked around in bewilderment and Kanae in amazement, as fan groups held visuals and candles, next to big mounted posters of Tsuruga Ren.

"How will we get through?" Kyoko asked in shock, peering at the mass like an impenetrable force field."

"Easy." Kanae took Kyoko's hand. "We plunge in."

Finding a small gap between the bodies, Kanae angrily shoved her way through, making her way deeper and deeper into the crowd. Kyoko practically plasters herself close behind; afraid the sea of people would close up, and render her lost. Like two small fish in a sea, Kyoko and Kanae swim through the crowd to get to the only entry that wasn't closed off, the official employee entrance.

Tripping over trash in the crowd, Kyoko slips and collides into a crying middle age woman, then into a group of high school students. "Hey! Watch it you pink monstrosity!" One of the teenage mourners hissed, holding a lit white candle by her fingertips as the hot wax dripped onto the pavement.

"I'm sorry!" Kyoko yelled hurriedly, trying to bow in apology, but being too packed in could only vaguely nod her head down. Kanae reached back and grabbed Kyoko's collar, tugging her away. Kyoko heels dragged as she cranned to look over her shoulder. "I didn't know TBM would be so crowded. What's happening?"

Kanae didn't even pause to respond, shouting over the buzz of the crowd. "Of course it's crowded. All these idiots are here to see if Tsuruga admits to being gay. Probably to revolt too."

"What?" One pulled away from the other, looking as if she had heard wrong. "Why would Tsuruga _say_ he's gay? I thought it was just rumors?"

Kanae stopped too, amazed. She turned to Kyoko, exasperation reaching its unbelievable peak. "_Where have you been? What else do you think I'm hear for_? Tsuruga's been prancing around with some boy toy all day. It's been on every channel imaginable! It's been on newspapers, the radio! There's no way you could have missed it!"

"I've been packing…" Kyoko said weakly, looking down at the concrete with mournful eyes. It suggested that she was doing more than just packing, but Kanae didn't want to dwell on that thought. Instead, Kanae shook her head at the way obliviousness seemed to be interwoven with her best friend's very existence. "…but why would Tsuruga be with a boy?"

Kanae stuffed her hand into her pocket, and pulled out her work required pink cell phone. She did a few hurried searches, and pushed the screen in front of Kyoko's nose. Kyoko watched as the familiar Emperor of the Night seduced the not-as-young-as-he-seemed man sitting across from him. Kyoko leaned in close, rewinding and watching the screen with eagle eyes. She paused the movie as the young man deeply blushed.

"That's not a boy! It's Yashiro-san!" Kyoko said, pulling away. "Although looking very strange..."

"What?" Kanae pulled her arm back and watched the screen. Now that Kyoko mentioned it, the similarities were all there. She was amazed that she hadn't spotted it before. Then again, Kotonami had never really paid attention to managers unless it was a LoveMe task. "You're right. That is him! What the hell have they been doing?"

"I can't believe Ren's dying of cancer!" One of the nearby girls sobbed, as she held her handkerchief to her nose. "It's the only reason why he'd do this!"

"He's not dying! He's being controlled by LME! We have to fight for his freedom!" Another girl yelled over her, pumping her fist into the air. She was dressed in a militant uniform. A small group of women cheered behind her, also dressed for battle.

"It's dark magic I tell you! I bet his eyes are going to glow red when the show starts!" A robe clad crowd member muttered loudly, holding a crudely made straw doll.

"No, he's being drugged!"

"It's an impostor! Probably some American spy!"

"He's just an actor. No wonder they weren't let in. These people are crazy…" Kanae muttered in disgust, looking at the swarm around her. "We need to go. Now!" She tried to shove herself ahead, but they started to push back against her, denying her the very entry she needed.

"It's too crowded Moko-san!"

"HEY! THEY'RE LOOKING FOR AUDIENCE MEMBERS FOR TONIGHT'S SHOW BY THE FRONT ENTRANCE!" Kanae's voice bellowed, echoing audibly as the unruly mob went pin drop quiet. She pulled Kyoko to the gate as most of the mass stormed to the front of the building, where the screaming grew louder.

Taking the chance, Kanae ran through the few stubbornly remaining mob, through the hired guardsmen, and to the single painted shack. It held a stern, porky young guard, as well as the controls to the currently closed fence. Both teenagers knew that this guy wasn't the type to wave anyone in. Neither was surprised as he barked at them.

"Get back in the crowd. Only employees are allowed in."

"We're in LoveMe." Kanae barked right back, her temper starting to overflow at the madness of the whole day. "We're LME employees and we're assigned to work here today."

"Oh really?" The heavy set guard asked suspiciously, peering doubtfully over at the bright pink jumpsuit both girls were wearing. "I haven't heard of your division."

"Well you're probably not important enough to be told anything other than where the lunch line is!"

"What? Look here little girl!" The bite in his voice increased, incensed. "Only people on this list are allowed into TBM studios today!"

"Her name is Kotonami Kanae. She's the actress scheduled to appear." Kyoko spoke up, for the first time. She smiled politely at the guard, as her partner scowled deeply. The plan was to ambush the actor together. Kanae had no interest in going in without Kyoko. She was doing this for her friend. Frankly, all she wanted to do to Tsuruga was to verbally rip him limb from limb.

"Actress eh?" The guard frowned, but picked up his clipboard. Running through the pages, he put his finger along the line "...Kotonami.. Kotonami…I see you." The guard said coolly. He rubbed his porky finger on the guest sheet in confirmation, making sure the name wouldn't smudge and prove its counterfeit. reaching over to press the small button that allowed the gate to open. Before he pushed it however, he looked towards the other girl and pointed .

"And who are you? I can't allow you in just because your friend's here."

"What are you? Stupid?" Moko said angrily. She pointed to her pink jumpsuit, then to her friend's. "Look at our uniforms. We're obviously both here with LME. If I'm on the list, she's obviously on the list too. Kyoko's worked here more often than I have."

"Wait…Kyoko?" He hesitated, getting out of his booth to look closer at the plain little girl. "The actress that plays Mio on Dark Moon?" The sedative guard leaned over to examine her face closer. She obviously didn't appear to look anything like he had expected, and his doubt was apparent.

"Yes, you numbskull." Kanae's voice rose louder, catching the other guards' attention as they blocked the returning crowd. "Kyoko's been working at TMB studios since Yappai Rock started. Of course she's here to play Bo. It's a special episode!"

"Lee, let her in!" One of the guards said, trying to lean closer to the gate while keeping an eye on the sneaky, candlelit fans who edged nearer. "I know Kyoko-chan. She's worked here before."

Outnumbered, the gate-keeper reluctantly pushed the rise button. The entry slowly opened, and they both ran in.

* * *

The phone rang several times. He held his breath. With each ring, he dually wished that his dad would pick up, and the call would not go through.

It was so strange; there was a familiarity even in the country's ring tone. He had to fight to keep himself from hanging up. He hadn't called for anything at all the past 6 years. Now he was calling for advice on a girl?

Ren sighed as the word "Clumsy" perched itself on his head. It was pretty pathetic. But she had gotten along with his father. He might have some more insight on what to do. Maybe she contacted him? His parents would have loved to host her and treat her as the daughter they never had. Actually...she would be the son they never had...

Right before he could shut the phone, the receiver clicked.

"**'lo**?" His English was gruff and somewhat sleepy, but it also had a strange out of breath quality. "**Hello**?" Kuu tried again.

"**Dad**?" Ren whispered, swallowing lightly. The voice that came out was nervous and uneven; a native speaker using an out of practice tongue. He felt like the past six years hadn't happened. "**Dad, it's me."**

"_**Kuon**_?" All sleepiness left his voice, as his father's voice cracked. "**Kuon? My God, it's really you?**"

"..**.Hi Dad. I..I hope this isn't a bad time...**"

"**Are you kidding**?" Kuu laughed heartily, sounding amazed. "**You could never call at a bad time. Your mom already had me up.**"

The underlying message was more than Ren wanted to know, but since his parents were always madly in love, that fact wasn't nearly as embarrassing as it had been when he was a teen.

"...**but I'm guessing you didn't call to find that out**."

"**No**..."

"**And I'm guessing you didn't call because you want to come out of the closet to your dear old dad first, right?**"

_Well that answered that question._

"**No dad...** "

"**Well that's good. Your mother set a new record last night in near death experiences.**" They both chuckled at the reference. To top her previous record would have taken at least a couple of hours of miraculous medical near tragedies and miracles.

"**So… you knew before the tape**?" Ren asked, not surprised.

"**Of course. I may not know Tsuruga Ren personally, but your mother and I have been Kuon's biggest fans since before you were born**. **Not Uncle Lory, nor any amount of dye or make-up could fool us.**" His father replied back simply. The comfort of his parents unyielding love stroked his nerves, calming them.

"…**But if it's not that…then it's something to do with a girl, right?**"

The clairvoyance of his dad was frightening. Ren sighed, but he smiled too, something he hadn't done for years in regard to his mom and dad. He didn't even need to confirm it, for his father to confirm his suspicions.

"**I'm not going to flatter you endlessly, or tell you anything that isn't true. Lory said that that was our mistake when you were younger. I want you to know though, that you've grown a lot as an actor. Not as superior as me yet, but you're become fine enough that people will follow your career no matter what you do in your personal life. Do what you need to do to show her you care. As long as you're sincere, you've enough talent to survive anything**."

The balloon that was Ren's spirit rose and fell accordingly as he listened. For the first time in his acting career, his dad didn't coddle him. Kuu didn't say his son had become a better actor than him. All the obsessive love was too much before, and now, finally, his Dad could see him as something other than just his son, and look to him as a real professional.

It was a short-lived happiness. Knowing that he was about to give up when his sub-main goal was finally accomplished made his choice bittersweet.

"**Actually Dad...I'm going to quit.**"

He waited for the gasp to come, which didn't. What came was more surprising - a thoughtful, understanding hum.

"**Ah... You're going to show her how much she means to you by quitting? I had to do that with your mother too.**"

"**What?**" Ren sputtered.

"**You know, I used to be a photographer before I got into acting.**"

"**You didn't tell me that story. You just told me it was meant to be."**

That wasn't exactly true. He _had _asked his parents how they met, but they both rarely got a sentence into the story before it deteriorated into a sort of sweet talk no one in their right mind would want to listen to. Then they'd look at him, and he'd be trapped between his dad's famous "Kuu-ala" bear hugs and his mother's twelve course love meals.

"**Well your Papa was a skilled photographer when he was your age. He was already famous and handsome, and there were always women around him. Julie was just starting out in LME as a foreign talent, and no one really paid attention to her except Lory. One day Mama was running late to a shoot and she bumped into him." **Ren part laughed, part sighed. His father still had the tendency to slip into third person when talking about him and his mother; talking to him as if he were a child.

"**We were very angry at each other, and I admit I insulted your mom. I said 'there's no need for models who can't act as pretty as they look.' Mama swore revenge and said some not so nice words."**

The image of Kyoko flipping him off suddenly came to Ren's mind. He wouldn't have been surprised if his mother said the verbal equivalent. His Mom was beautiful, but she had a strong personality too.

"**The funny thing is that your Papa was shooting a running advertisement for a perfume and cosmetic company at the time, and the director chose Mama to be the model to promote them. Papa and Mama would glare daggers into each other, but Papa was impressed by the way Mama could turn off her hate and pose beautifully whenever the camera faced her."**

Sunlight cosmetics. He knew which company and which photos his dad was talking about immediately . It was his mother's favorites, part of her professional portfolio when she had literally thousands of portraits to choose from.

"**He had to plead with her to talk to him. He offered her everything, but she didn't want anything. It wasn't until he said he'd quit photography and become her co-star if he had to, that she finally spoke to him. She challenged him to give up everything in order to catch her. So...Here I am today, an actor."**

Ren could barely take in the story's implications. All he had known his dad for was his acting. The entire story made him more confused, rather than less. His dad had quit and found something else he loved, while obviously winning over his mother. So the whole plan could work out.

Still, there would have to be something else. A whole new life he would have to create. It wouldn't be so bad, if she were in it though. If she believed him.

"**Kuon? Kuon? Still there?**"

"**Yeah Dad…thanks for telling me this.**"

"**I'm happy to just hear your voice son. I can't tell you how much I've missed it.**"Ren smiled lightly, thinking of all the times he missed talking to his parents."**Good luck. We'll be watching.**"

"**Have a good day Dad.**"

Ren fingers brushed the End key, but he could hear his name being called out faintly. He pulled the phone back up to his ear.

"**Yes?**"

"**I just wanted to let you know, in this case and this case only, Dad thinks there's nothing wrong with a little bit of incest.**"

He sighed into the phone and disconnected the call.

Ren turned the corner, wishing he had someone else to confide in. His father and his manager were both supportive, but they were biased. They both adored Kyoko, and wanted to see them together. What he needed was a neutral party. Someone he could talk to that knew about his feelings, but was also somewhat in the dark about who she was.

He needed the chicken.

* * *

_That's it. The whole stupid world is coming to an end._

Kanae struggled to keep her hands to herself; they were just itching to strangle the umpteenth crying woman they passed as they walked down the hall.

"Moko-san…" An impatient glance made Kyoko correct herself. "Kanae-chan…none of this is making sense."

"Not so loud _Bo."_ Kanae warned the chicken, leaning into her shadow. "You're not supposed to be here. TBM is in lock down for the Tsuruga special since he's gone off the deep end. Women are beating down the door like it's some kind of Armageddon."

"You're Kotonami Kanae, right?" The tiny staff member asked curiously. Her wavy hair and bright ensemble made the taller girl look down to see her. "You're here for the secret mission?"

"If that's what the President's calling it."

"Okay, then we have to get you to wardrobe. I brought a large collection because I haven't had a chance to work with you before. Sweety surprised me by calling you."

The bird wildly flapped its wings, trying to point to the fashionable small lady in recognition. Kanae's harsh glare silenced her.

"Aww...pretty bird." The petite woman went over to the chicken costume, and hugged it happily. Stunned, Bo quieted down and patted the magic makeup artist on the top of the head. "You are such a good rooster." Kanae watched on, unsure which one was treating the other as a docile pet. It was a tossup between the child size woman & the monster male hen.

"There you go hunny. Now you run off Bo, while we get Kotonami all dressed up."

Nodding happily, Bo turned around and obediently walked down the other way, pinfeathers sticking proudly in the air.

"Hey, don't go yet dummy! You're not a pet chicken!..."

"Oh no worries. I'm sure Kyoko-chan will be just fine. We have to concentrate on you now Kotonami-san."

"I can do my...wait! You knew it was her? Who are you?"

"Me? I'm just your friendly neighborhood witch." Jerry said with a sweet, innocent laugh. She gave a friendly wink as she took Kotonami's hand "Now we mustn't keep people waiting."

The two women turned down one hallway, as the rooster went down another. A particularly familiar hallway, where a man's prayers had just been answered.

* * *

***Chapter 151 - One of my favourite cover pages. The image Ren's referencing about Bo - the one that solidified my SB! love - shows up first in Chapter 23**

**Yashiro's Badge is a reference to Special A. Good job to those who noticed it. I love strong female protagonists.**

**I know, I know... ¬.¬ You all probably hate me for various reasons. "Why did you take so long," "Why did you stop there?" and "Why did you make Kanae spur Kyoko's hate instead of helping her fall in love? T_T" Well...um...**

**Thanks for the patience! Especially Runa, who I made beta-read over and over with tweaks and additions.**


	18. Day Seven: The Curtain Rises

**"Hey, don't go yet dummy! You're not a pet chicken! Bo!"**

Ren raised his head up, the name striking a familiar cord. He noticed the memorable silhouette of a plastic suit and huge tail plumage walk past a corner, completely unaware of the relieved actor. Ren felt his heart rise in hope of a familiar voice in the center of chaos, and broke into a hurried glide in order to catch up with him.

"Bo! Bo!" His voice echoed.

The rooster froze, mid-step. Its over-sized head turned back, in unbridled fear. Ren slowed to a trot as he approached. Ren's relieved smile was on full force, as he caught the answer to his mental pleas. The full force of his charm hit the mascot dead on, a surprise attack.

"Bo...it's you. I'm so glad you're..."

"Brwack!" A chicken shaped puff of smoke began to dissipate, as the brown feathers skidded around a corner.

Taking off at a run, Ren gave chase after the mascot, confused. The chicken had never run from him before. He never considered that the chicken would be anything less than understanding. Were the rumors really that bad?

"Wait! Wait!"

After giving chase, the winded actor finally ran into a dead end, with no chicken in sight. Worried that he lost him, Ren looked down the barren hallway, full of storage doors. Walking slowly, Ren jiggled each doorknob, each shut and locked tight. Only until he got to the end of the hall did Ren notice the tell-tale clue. The small crack of an open side door signaled where the mascot must have gone, and he made a straight bee-line to it.

Seeing that the light was on and the room empty, Ren stepped into the enclosed space and shut the door. The snap made the hiding mascot turn around, its wide comedic eyes taking in the source of all the craziness.

"Bo..? What are you doing…? I thought we were friends?"

Ren never thought the frozen mask could show expression so well, but the rooster looked so irate and hurt that it caught the actor off guard. There was the silent hum of electricity, and a flutter of time before the chicken made its move.

Ren caught the angry feather chop in midstroke, holding it still right above his head. The air was palpable with emotion, as he stared at the plastic mask of what he considered a friend.

"Wait…what are you doing?" The actor said, shocked. He wasn't expecting this sort of welcome. "Why are you angry?"

He could hear a vague murmur behind the costume, but couldn't make out the words. Ren leaned closer to the beak, to try and hear whatever the actor had said inside.

The voice was mad, but watery enough that it sounded like there were tears as well. Something had hurt his friend, and apparently it was him.

"…liar."

"..What?"

"Liar! Liar!" Bo shouted, getting free and catching Ren in the head with his heavy beak. Ren winced as the strike started stinging angrily. Bo began pecking at the show's guest until Ren was able to grab his beak and fend him off.

"You lie! You're not gay! You use people! What about that high school girl? Whatever happened to friendship? I looked up to you! You tricked me! I believed in you!"

Ren gazed into the wide-eyed rooster face, surprised at the venom and despair his friend had shown. He didn't know he had meant so much to the Rock mascot. It was both flattering and worrying.

"I'm sorry Bo. I didn't want to lie to you. In fact, I was hoping to see you. I need your opinion again."

The rooster crossed his arms and shook his head, looking away from the actor in defiance.

It was clearly an _I'm not going to talk to you because you're an idiot. _The vein in Ren's forehead lightly jutted out, throbbing as his annoyance built.

"You have to give me advice. After all," He glared at his chicken friend. "This is _your_ fault."

"Bwwwaaark?" Crimson flames erupted around the suit, as lightning bolts of anger erupted from both figures' glare. When the chicken attacked again, Ren was ready. He grabbed both feather arms, and held it up into the air, pinning the mascot still.

"How could you blame me for your shortcomings?"

"I never would have realized my feelings if it weren't for you."

"Who knew you were so stupid with your emotions!"

"What?"

"You heard me! You're acting like an idiot! What kind of guy says he loves a high school girl, then goes off lying about his sexual orientation? That's just stupid! You're supposed to be a professional!" The rooster's voice cracked again, and again the pain behind the anger began to show through. "Don't you think about how your actions affect others around you? Look at your career and fans! LME! I bet you really hurt _her _too!"

Ren's grip eased, his eyes softening as the words rolled in his mind. The pause was just enough time to allow for another beak head butt attack.

"Stop it!" Ren grabbed the oversized hat and held it back. It felt just like it had when he had first met the chicken. The damn thing had been a spitball of spite and anger then too, but at least then the mascot had the decency not to attack him. "Stop doing that! I didn't want to hurt anyone!"

"It's your fault for lying!"

"I wasn't lying! At least not then! I have to lie now! I'm doing this for the high school girl I told you about!"

"Boy?"

"Girl." Ren corrected him, glaring more. "Woman rather. I did something wrong, and I can't reach her."

Bo pulled back slowly, the rooster's face so frozen yet so expressive.

"Well you shouldn't fool with people along the way! Do you have any idea how much your actions hurt people? You can't pretend to care for people when you don't! What if they fall for it! Don't make believe to care for someone when you love someone else! What about them…what if the other falls for it…"

Shaking itself free, Bo turned to the door.

"I'm leaving. Goodbye Tsuruga."

Something inside Ren's chest squeezed, _hard. _Again, he found that the chicken was able to peel back all of his layers. He went for the costume head, determined to pull it off and talk to the man behind the mask. If he could convince the mascot of his sincere feelings, he was sure he could reach Kyoko.

"No, you can't leave. Give me a second to explain."

Ren grabbed the back of Bo's tuxedo, and pulled him back. A fierce tug of war broke, tearing at the costume as each party grew more and more passionate.

"_No, let me go!"_

"We need to talk!"

The sudden tear of fabric of fabric made the rooster 'brawks' even louder, both determined to get their way.

"_It's none of my business!"_

"I need you now. Please!"

"**STEP AWAY FROM THAT BIRD!"**

An obsidian cloud radiated from the doorway; a furious, beautiful actress marched into the room.

Both attendants looked at the door, seeing the goddess of nightmares in a shimmery blue sundress, blushed cheeks, mile-long legs, and milky skin. The make up artist made LoveMe member number two into a gorgeous model, fit to be Tsuruga Ren's love interest. It was only the lightning bolt glares and suddenly pointed nails and fangs that showed the woman for what she was. An angry harpy, bent on revenge.

"**You..."**

Lashing out suddenly made Bo & Ren break apart, both intent at avoiding the vicious vampiric actress. Venomous red eyes glowed death.

"**How... dare... you!" **

"Wait, Kotonami-san..." Ren hesitantly took a step back, almost tripping over a small prop box. He had never seen a demonic queen before, but he was sure this was it. Large plastic feathers wrapped around her slender waist, pulling Kanae back from her oversized prey.

"**You...hurt her..."**

"Kotonami-san..."

"Moko-san! Stop!"

"**I'll kill you!"**

"Kotonami-san! Stop!" Breaking free and diving at his handsome face, Ren grabbed her wrists just in time. He lightly pushed her away, just enough to make her pause and regain her bearings. "I'm not here to tell the world I'm a homosexual. I'm not here to trick anyone. I don't want you to act as my beard. I'm here because I want to quit acting."

The silence was immediate, shock ringing from both the chicken and the actress. Both looked as if they were freshly slapped. Bo's mouth fell open.

"Acting?" Kanae said hesitantly, as if she had heard the man speak in some long lost ancient language, "Professional acting? You're quitting?"

Ren looked at both of them, and plunged in.

"I love her. I love her more than you can believe. I originally took that bet because I wanted…" He paused just for a moment, swallowing back the venom he had for that name. "…that guy to apologize for what he did to her; for destroying her faith in love. But really I wanted her to see me as a man. I wanted her to love me back, and I selfishly pushed her under these false pretenses."

Ren ran his fingers through his hair, his face generally nervous, honest, and embarrassed. He confessed to them like a guilty child to a parent, or a believer to his deity: completely opening his heart.

"I know she thinks I just took advantage of her…but that's so far from the truth. I'd rather never act again than let her think that I'm just someone else who used her. I don't want anything back. I don't need her to fall in love with me. I don't even need her to want to look at me again. I just…I want her to know I'd never use her. I enjoyed every moment we spent together."

"So…" Kanae looked at him, her pretty face completely blank. "You love her, and the only reason you took the bet is because you wanted that jerk to apologize, not because you wanted to use her to deflect media attention?"

"Yes."

"And you've been spending time with her, not because of the bet, but because you love her, and people in love supposedly want to spend time together as much as possible?"

"Yes."

"And now that you know she knows about the bet, you want to come clean to her?"

"Yes..."

"You've created this huge media mess…pretending to be gay…so you can make an idiot out of yourself in front of all of Japan, tell her that you're sorry, and prove how much you mean it by giving up everything?"

"…That's right." Ren said softly, mentally admitting that it sounded a lot more ridiculous when someone else recited it.

Kanae looked towards the stunned rooster, and back to the actor. She looked him, the Number One Bachelor Of Japan three years running, Best Dressed Man Of The Year, Most Handsome Smile, Girl's Teen Choice, suddenly seeing him under a brand new light. A love sick, human light.

"…Fine." The actress said simply, unmoved by his confession. "The only reason I took this job was because I was going to humiliate you myself, but you don't need my help. You're obviously just as crazy as the president."

Ren's lips crinkled into a small wry smile. "I suppose so..."

"Still, I'd rather you confess than him."

Breaking the moment, the following knock sounded more like a warning than permission for entry. The hurried manager flung the door open, then spotted his charge. He completely ignored the two other figures in the room, who were luckily just as surprised at his presence.

"Ren, the show's starting in 60 seconds! Get out here!"

"Okay. Excuse me Kotonami-san." Ren turned and smiled sadly at the Bridge Rock mascot. "I'm sorry Bo. We can talk after the show."

With a few long strides, both the manager and actor were gone, pulling the door shut behind them.

Pulling off her chicken mask furiously, Kyoko gaped at the door, then her friend. Kanae turned to Kyoko as well.

"Doesn't he know who Bo is?"

Kyoko threw the rooster's head toward her co-worker, already halfway out of the body.

"Moko-san, switch with me!"

* * *

**Life's too crazy. Attacking from all ends. I just want to finish the stories I have. I kept this under wraps for a while because I wanted to perfect the chapter, but I know that if I don't post it now I'll abandon it all. So with Runa's suggestions, I added a few new unbeta'd tidbits and am posting it. Come hell or high water, I'll give you guys an end. The Show Must Go On is the next and second to last chapter.**


	19. The Show Must Go On: Part 1 of 3

**A/N: CHAPTER SONG: MAROON 5 - TANGLED (The whole reason I even wrote Skip Beat FF in the first place was because of this song.)**

* * *

"Come in!" The female voice boomed through her office door, permitting entry. Shoko slid her manicured fingers around the knob and turned it, entering the expansive office.

"Aki-san! I love when you come to see me directly. Have you found another one then?"

Her chief pulled the offered application out of her drawer and spilled the contents onto her desk. Spreading the photos out, she admired the photos in the same way Shoko did when she took them out. It had taken a long time for Shoko to gain her kaichou's trust, but every person she brought in personally had become a pretty big hit in the modeling and light acting world.

"Not bad Aki, not bad. Very nice look. Nice face. Professional photos too. He must have had some money backing him up for real studio shots. That or friends with high talent."

Standing at full height, Shoko nodded and pulled his handwritten form from the pile. "His full name is Shoutaro Fuwa. He wants to be known as Sho."

"Good. My grandfather's name is Shoutaro, and I'm pretty sure he was born during the Edo period."

Her boss snickered loudly, retreating even deeper into the darkness. The only thing she knew about her boss was that she was female and that she wore glasses. Her boss never stepped out of the office with people around, and all you could ever see of her was her glasses and the way the room's stray beams of light refracted off of them. At first Shoko thought on how strange it was, but then she had heard of her coworkers' stories of LME's eccentric president. Apparently there was something about show business that attracted the freaks.

"I did some research and it turns out he's the heir to the Fuwa Ryokan chains. Maybe it was that."

"Oh great. A pretty rich boy who thinks he can act. Like we haven't heard _that_ before."

"Actually, he's a singer."

"Really now…. A singer Aki-san? And you brought him into my office?" She leaned back, and the light glinted as it usually did in the shaded room. "He must have talent then. Usually you're more on the acting side. And I'm guessing you want to manage him?"

"Yes, that's correct."

"Well, let's hear from the Edo boy. I assume he sent a demo."

After a few unsure movements and button presses, the deep rumble of a bass drum and a synthesizer's electric keyboard spilled across the sound system. It sounded like a musical lunar landing, curiously haunting yet addictive. Although the recording seemed to be fan-made, the quality was surprisingly good.

The guitar strums caught the boss by surprise. Its lethargic tune matched the soft piano and drums perfectly, which wasn't common in local bands. Usually there would be a clash. The bassist would play too fast or the drummer would drum too hard. Someone clearly knew what they were doing.

Then, there was his voice.

**Watch the sunrise  
Say your goodbyes  
Off we go…**

**Some conversation  
No contemplation  
Hit the road…**

"Sign him."

* * *

Pulling off her shades, Shoko spotted her new charge sitting lazily over a café table, tell-tale blond hair poking out from under his red hoodie. She nodded approvingly to herself as she approached. For a pure blooded Japanese boy from Kyoto, he pulled off the unnatural hair color like he was born with it. Whoever styled him did it like an expert. The boy knew how to stand out in Tokyo. Even in his unassuming jacket and tattered jeans, he looked more like a planted fashion male idol than a common citizen.

"What's your name?"

"Are you from around here?"

"Hey, is that poetry?"

Several girls surrounded the table, probably on their lunch hour judging by their uniform shirts and rolled up skirts. They all leaned over him in one way or another, trying to strike up a conversation. One or two of them were quite pretty, yet the musician hadn't really looked up from his pen and notebook.

"Sho. No. They're lyrics." He muttered, scribbling some more notes on the page.

Well that was good. He wasn't too much of the playboy type. They looked much more interested in him than he was in them.

"Oh! You're a musician! I love musicians!"

"I love to sing. Do you sing? Do duets? There's a local Karaoke bar nearby."

"I bet you need someone to show you around Tokyo. We could go after school."

"I could do it right now."

"No way, he'd want to come with me!"

Approaching the group of girls as silently as her heels would allow her, she cleared her throat and smiled charmingly as they turned to look at her. Being beautiful came with certain perks, like immediate authority over common women, if she chose to exert it. Aki Shoko gave her best assured smile as the younger girls' smiles seemed to fade. There was no competition between their moderate attractiveness and the mature woman's stunning brilliance.

"I'm sorry ladies, I have to meet with my client. Trust me, you'll be hearing more of him real soon."

"Awww…" The crowd of girls slowly filed away, saying their goodbyes with flirty tones and high pitched giggles. He didn't return any of their affections, but Sho did nod his head in some meager form of politeness as they filed away. Sho kept the corner of his eye on Shoko though, which she wasn't surprised about.

Pulling off his hoodie, the serious teenager looked up at her with a curious full examination. More people stared in their direction as his golden mane caught the day's sunlight. Two beautiful people meeting in such a common place made it more like a movie set than real life. A nervous waitress took their drink orders, and disappeared just as quickly.

"Are you supposed to be my manager?"

He wasn't talking to her chest. That was definitely an improvement over most of the men she met. She nodded.

"I am Aki Shoko from Akatoki Agency. If you agree, I'll be representing you as your manager."

He languidly started with the lengths of her calves, then slowly raised his appraising gaze up the length of her legs, to her firm stomach, up her ample breasts and finally to her face. She kept her professional smile up, but her eyes slightly narrowed.

"You're definitely my type Shoko -chan." His overconfident teenage purr was all the information she needed. "I agree."

Well, she couldn't expect him to be perfect.

"Listen, Shoutar-"

"Sho. Call me Sho." As usual, he leaned over with what she suspected was his most handsome of smiles. It was pretty handsome, as even her hardened heart fluttered. "After all, you are m-"

"Fuwa," Shoutaro pulled back, his eyes widening in surprise. "I am not **anything **of yours, except your manager. I selected you because your demo tape had some talent, but without me, your chances of making it are pretty low. I've been in this business since I was your age, and you're just another star struck runaway in Tokyo to most agencies."

"I…yeah I understand…" Sho trailed, having the decency to look a bit embarrassed.

Aki Shoko was a great judge of character. She never picked someone she didn't think could make it, and she never picked a bad charge to take care of. There were plenty of overly pompous teenagers with little talent and even fewer manners.

If you were going by his outward appearance, you'd think Fuwa Shoutaro was a spoiled pretty boy with no talent. But really, he was a boy who had the good fortune to be born to a good, successful family with the right set of genes. That set of circumstances usually ruined children, but Shoutaro had been trained by serious parents and had a real goal in mind. He acted in a front that people expected, but really he was a good kid. At least it seemed like that.

"So is Mogami Kyoko mature for her age?" Shoko lifted the cool drink to her lips, taking a sip nonchalantly as Sho sputtered in shock.

"What?" The shock on his face was almost comical. His jaw dropped immediately. "How do you know her? She has nothing to do with me and my career!"

"I'm your manager." Aki replied, putting the glass on the table delicately. "I've already dug into your record. Mogami Kyoko is the name on the lease of your very expensive Tokyo apartment. You don't work, but she does. You both ran away from home. Your parents didn't approve, but they were willing to sign the consent forms as long as we added a part in the contract that guaranteed you enrolled in school and graduate."

"You've spoken to my parents?" Fuwa hit his hands on the table, standing up suddenly. Eyes and ears perked up, as they turned to watch the beautiful boy's sudden excitement. The ice cubes tinkled as they readjusted in the cup. "They actually signed my papers?"

"If they hadn't signed your papers, we wouldn't be having this conversation." Shoko said simply. "Now sit Sho. We have a debut to plan."

He sat, as instructed, without putting up much of a fight. As they sat in the shaded afternoon sun, Sho and Shoko quietly deliberated the details of his public look. His debut songs, his school situation, and how the business industry would work now that he had a major label backing him were all discussed.

Shoko was just thinking that handling a teenage boy as a charge wouldn't be so bad, as she paid the tab and walked to her car. There were a lot of appointments to set back at the office. Something would have to be done about his "roommate," his words, not hers, and…

"Shoko! Can I come home with you?"

"Sho." Shoko sighed, as her mental list of tasks they needed to complete was forgotten. "I told you, I am your manager. I am not your plaything."

"But you're still my type." Sho pouted in his spoiled, charming way. He leaned over her sports car, keeping it propped open. Even Shoko found her heart twitter a bit. "I like intelligent, stubborn women. I'm not into girls."

"Well you can't have me." The leggy manager laughed, putting on her Kamuro sunglasses and starting the car engine. Sho closed the door, but rested his arms over the open window frame. "If you ever find the intelligent, stubborn women of your dreams though, I'll help you get her."

* * *

The red lights, a signal backstage to confirm the final countdown to the show. Both men half walked, half ran to the stage, worry in their voices.

"I thought I was going to start the show on stage." Ren asked, unnerved, outpacing his counterpart using his long legs.

"Me too. I don't know why the countdown's on now." Yashiro squeaked, starting to run to try and keep up. "They're not having anything before your segment. This show is supposed to be dedicated to you. Do you think it could be the President?"

"Nothings going to-" Ren started, then stopped, mid-sentence.

Holding out her arms as wide as possible, both men froze at the human roadblock. Ren and Yashiro stood still, a few steps away from the stage, looking at Aki Shoko as if she were a ghost.

"You? What are you doing here Aki-san?" Yashiro asked, incredulous.

"I'm keeping promises Yashiro-san." Shoko smile sadly, as she regarded both men with more than a hint of guilt. "Trying to make up for all the damage my charge has done. The same as you, I believe."

The lights around them began to fade, the fated Rock show scheduled to start.

"You look good in uniform, by the way."

Yashiro blushed deeply, looking away and stuttering his innocence.

Unaffected, Ren took a step forward towards the stage, now black and empty.

"I'm sorry Aki-san. I don't have time for this."

"Wait!" Shoko quickly took a step closer to Ren, and put her hands on his chest in protest. He looked down at her surprised, as she pushed him back with the little power she had. It wasn't enough to make him retreat, but it was enough to keep him still. "He wanted me to tell you…that you've won the battle. That this is his defeat. Let him do it in dignity."

* * *

The studio lights rose dramatically, casting a dim red light on the bass guitarist in the corner of the stage. He plucked on his guitar strings in a slow, soulful way, keeping his head down and his face covered.

A concentrated but casual drum beat from the other side of the stage as the crowd peered on. Confused and discontent, they reluctantly hushed as they waited to find out what exactly was happening.

A low yellow beam shone directly from above the stage, hitting the bench, microphone, and the blond singer in a strange radiance. The last murmurs of discontent faded, as the rich tenor voice bled like the studio glow, catching his blond hair.

_I'm full of regret  
For all things that I've done and said_

"_**If I had stayed in that house any longer, I would have ended up with some with some plain, boring local girl!"**_

_And I don't know if it'll ever be ok to show  
My face, 'round here_

"_**For a girl to be doing this type of job; she must be really ugly."**_

_Sometimes I wonder if I disappear  
Would you ever turn your head and look?_

He stood, pulling the microphone and its stand closer to him. The lights began to pulse in a muted red and dirty yellow. Dingy colors, washing over him like filth to a forlorn stray dog, or guilt to a sentenced prisoner.

_See if I'm gone  
Cause I fear  
There is nothing left to say _

"_**And you said something like 'Put all your heart into acting.' I couldn't see your effort at all."**_

_To you  
That you wanna hear  
That you wanna know  
_

The crowd got to its feet, knocking away the tissues and tears into a white soggy blob on the studio sets floor.

_I think I should go  
The things I've done are way too shameful_

"_**SHUUUUUUUUT UPPPPPPPPP!" The echo of the slap rung around them both, as the small cut produced a single droplet of blood.**_

You're just an innocent  
A helpless victim of a spider's web

"**Since you're not used to be complimented by a guy, you probably thought 'erotic' means 'you're sexy,' right?"**

_And I'm an insect  
Goin' after anything that I can get  
_

"**I'll send her back to Kyoto. You'll take care of me, right Shoko?"**

_So you better turn your head and run  
And don't look back _

**"Kyoko? I...I didn't mean it… I was just angry…I was just kidding about the bet…"**

_Cause I fear  
There is nothing left to say_

"**You haven't given your first kiss to anybody, right?"**_  
_

_To you  
That you wanna hear_

**"I'm your Prince!"**

_That you wanna know  
I think I should go_

"**So I'm giving that to you, as a compensation gift."**

_The things I've done are way too shameful_

**"Even your mother didn't want you! Why would someone like him treat you like you meant something without an ulterior motive!"**_**  
**__  
And I've done you so wrong  
Treated you bad_

**"Because she's mine."**

**"Because she's yours…?" Aki repeated, lightly scornful. "Tell me Fuwa-kun, why is she yours?"**

**"Because…I kissed her first."**

_Strung you along_

**"I didn't want to see her like that again! I don't want her to care about anyone else like that!"**

_Oh, Shame on myself  
_

**"I know it won't be enough! But I have to try! I want her to forgive me!"**

_I don't know how I got so tangled...up…_

**"I love her, damn it!"**

The crowd cheered as one, as if they'd forgotten why they had been crying and assembled in the first place.

* * *

Leaving the equipment on stage, and dropping the mic with a loud thud, Sho walked off the stage. He didn't respond to the girls' screams, the flashing of lights. He let his memories of sin wash over him, as the bands' final chords fell.

The weight of his apology weighed on him, like a cursed bolder. Aki Shoko stood to the side of the stage, as always, giving him a sad yet proud little smile.

Yashiro and Tsuruga stood next to her, their faces fixed on him. Neutral. Sharp.

"You win Tsuruga." Sho half spoke, half whispered, as he wisped past his rival. "I apologized. It's over."

In a small show of apology, Aki bowed her head and swept past the two LME men, meeting her charge at his side. Her eyes said it all. 'Let's go,' and Sho was too drained to argue. His voice felt tired. His heart was heavy. The approaching night was destined to be a long one.

"You don't get it Fuwa."

The young performer and his manager froze, turning around to look at the man who spoke. Ren didn't turn to look at Fuwa, but instead at the stage as the three Rock hosts emerged to take the crowd.

"This week has gone beyond anything you could have thought up."

As the brilliance of the performance gradually faded, the crowd began to murmur and hum. Slowly, they all began to remember why they had come. The overall feel of TBM studios began to grow tense.

"You think a song is enough…to make up for what we've done to her?"

"There's no wa… "

"We hurt her."

"Shut up…"

"This petty fight. I chased her away."

"S_**hut up**_ Tsuruga! This isn't about her. This was about our bet."

"Of course this is about her. You're not important to me, Fuwa. Not then. Not now. This was always about her."

Sho shook his head as if vigorously trying to wipe the thought clear from his mind. "If anything, **I** chased her away. **I** hurt her. **I'm **here to make it up to her."

Finally turning his head round, Ren stared at the teenager. The actor's stormy dark eyes met with the musician's electric blue ones.

"Do you love her?" The question was sharp. Direct. No one existed in this exchange beyond the two men.

"Yes." Yashiro's mouth rounded in a small o. Not from the answer, but by the frankness of the singer's response. He had forced his kiss upon her. He had thrown her away like trash. He had been eager to hurt her by exposing the plan. (Yashiro worked that out, as he washed the gel out of his hair.) Fuwa's immature teenage love had had fingerprints all over the place, but Yashiro never imagined there would be such a change that Fuwa Sho would be willing to admit his love. Ever. Much less overnight.

"Did you ever tell her?"

"She knows." Fuwa turned his head away, cheeks painted in red, his voice thick and rushed. "She has to know."

"I love her." Yashiro and Shoko took twin gasps as Sho reeled back in horror, as if slapped. "And now it's my turn to show her."

There wasn't a slight hesitance as Ren took his first step on stage. Cameras whirled. The audience screamed. All Hell broke loose.

* * *

**Beta Note: Sorry for the extra wait, but I'm sure Momochan will satisfy us all with her finale. Please be patient, because perfection takes time.**

* * *

**A/N: There's still definitely two chapters left. I never thought to not show what happens on TV in my story. But a half done posted chapter is better than keeping the half done chapter on my computer and forgetting about it for another 6 months**

**Runa beta'd thankfully. After so long, I never thought she'd want to talk to me again, much less beta. *sniffles* **

**And thank you all for returning, or starting fresh and reading ALL the way to this chap. I'm still here. Chugging along, but this will be done. **

**...Unless I don't get reviews...**

***whistles* I was never above feeble threats...  
**


	20. The Show Must Go On: Part 2 of 3

**Hello my lovelies! New or returning. Sho or Ren shippers. Welcome to the MAIN EVENT! Now before you delve in, let's discuss three things. You can either:**

**A) Wait for the final chapter if you want to read everything without the pesky last cliffhanger. What's another month or two wait after the previous 16, ne? *dodges tomatoes***

**B) Read my "brief" synopsis below before delving into this chapter.**

**C) Kill several hours and start from the beginning. I tried to weave what was going to happen throughout this story since the beginning, and it may seem more coherent if you start over.**

* * *

**The story thus far:**

Tsuruga Ren is asked if he's a homosexual on live television. Unfortunately, he's unable to respond before the show ends. The gossip world goes crazy with the story. Next day, after running into each other backstage of Bridge Rock, Sho challenges Ren to win over Kyoko in one week to prove he's not gay, otherwise he has to admit the rumor is true. Ren agrees to the bet, dictating that if he wins, Sho has to apologize to Kyoko for all the trouble he caused her.

Each day, Ren and Kyoko grow closer (with occasional help from Yashiro) while Ren's media presence starts to feel the weight of the rumor. Halfway through the week, Sho realizes (with help from Shoko) what he's actually done by challenging Ren to win Kyoko's heart and President Takarada gives Ren a stern warning. Near the end of the week, Ren decides to call off the bet, knowing how much it would hurt Kyoko if she were to find out.

Before being able to officially call it off, Kanae finds out about the conspiracy between the two men, and with the help of Shoko, confronts Kyoko on the truth of Ren's sudden interest. Jealous at Kyoko's reaction, Sho lashes out at Kyoko, reminding her of her mother and her uselessness without someone to follow. Kyoko, obviously hurt, leaves without another word.

Ren & Sho both realize how much they've hurt Kyoko and the extent of their feelings towards her. Sho swears to make it up by completing his part of the bet by apologizing the best way he knows how, through his music. After a night of searching, and a call to the President, Ren realizes that Kyoko's gone and there's likely no way to reach her.

Yashiro and Ren devise a plan to act out the gossip, in order to assure Kyoko will be watching once he goes back on Bridge Rock. He plans to quit acting publically, in order to show his sincerity. Sho apologizes in song before the show, and faces off with Ren, calling the bet complete. Ren refuses to accept Sho's version of an apology. Each man confesses their love of Kyoko to each other, right before Bridge Rock starts.

**Gosh…it sounds so boring when I write it out like that. Anyways…ON WITH THE SHOW! [End A/N]**

* * *

"Kyoko, I don't understand." Kanae said confusedly, as she tried to force herself into the rooster suit she abhorred the first moment she saw it. The suit was just a tad too short for her, but she would make it work for whatever Kyoko had planned. "Why should we stop him? He should embarrass himself in front of the country! Look at the things he did! I don't care if it was for the sake of love!"

"I can't let him quit." Kyoko replied in a rush, quickly running around the storage closet for an appropriate change of clothing. "Tsuruga Ren shouldn't quit his entire career for one person. He came all the way from California to act. I can't let him end it over this." A small set of hands held up a sparkling stunning gray dress. Relieved, Kyoko grabbed at it and began to make the swap between her LoveMe uniform to the smoky crushed velvet one piece.

"But he hurt you, Kyoko! You told the president you were going to quit acting. You shouldn't lift a finger to defend him." Kanae lifted the rooster head over her own and twisted the cap in place. "Why do you want me to postpone his announcement? Why do you want to take my place?"

Kyoko hiked the beautiful dress to her knees and opened boxes for the right wig to wear. Any girlfriend of Tsuruga Ren would have to be beyond strikingly beautiful to catch his heart, or it would never fool the audience. Kyoko never wished she were more of a natural beauty more than she did now.

"You're too good of an actress to be swept up Moko-san!" Kyoko combed through old stage pieces and dusty boxes. "Even now, Ren-san knows how to win over novices who works with him. I…know that it can work on me if I can look convincing. I know how to be in love..."

"Kyoko…what are you sayi-?"

The same set of small hands held up a wig, which again Kyoko took with a satisfied glance. Straight and wind swept at the bangs, it fell in midnight black waves from her ears down, and looked like something fit for Princess Rosa. The wig color matched Kyoko's original dark locks, and it surprisingly fit like a glove.

"She's saying that Bo-san better make his way to the stage soon." Catching them by surprise, the tiny make-up witch smiled and entered the storage room as well, wheeling her usual bag of magical tricks. "Otherwise it may be too late. Fuwa-san won't be on the stage forever."

"Fuwa's here?" Kotonami asked surprised, glancing at Kyoko. Kyoko barely acknowledged Jerry's words as she tried to situate her own hair under the hairpiece properly. Taking a deep sigh, releasing her pride as well as her breath, she looked straight at Kyoko through the wide eyes of Bo the Bridge Rock rooster.

"Are you sure Kyo…"

Kyoko paused as she looked at her best friend, seeing the rooster that her mentor had depended on to the very end.

"Please Moko-san."

They both stood there, staring at each other, thinking of each other's predicament. Kanae bit her lip lightly under the costume, but nodded and turned towards the door. Jerry pulled Kyoko onto a chest of props, and diligently began to work on her foundation.

Pausing at the door, Kanae muttered over her shoulder. Obviously not thrilled, her voice still sounded resolved and determined. "I'm not sure how long I can keep Tsuruga from being an idiot, so hurry up."

"Hai!" Kyoko called back, appreciation and love spilling into her voice.

"Don't worry Kyoko." Jerry whispered, giggling lightly as the door shut, leaving them in the dim light of the room. "Darling has a plan too…"

* * *

"**Look at the clock!"**

"Try not to gawk!"

"_Knock off your socks!_

"**It's Bridge Rock!" **"It's Bridge Rock!" _"It's Bridge Rock!"_

The three famous hosts of Bridge Rock, Ishibashi Hikaru, Ishibashi Shin'ichi and Ishibashi Yuusei (no relation) all waved to the cameras and the audience as they opened their variety show in their customary way, each posed at the left, right, and center of their mini-platforms respectively. Three mounted televisions behind them flashed shots of the Bridge Rock logo and the packed house spectators. Stage lights rolled around the floor, occasionally freezing on one of the three leaders of the idol group, before again plunging them in darkness.

Well, almost customary. Ishibashi Hikaru wasn't used to having singers perform before the show had even started, but the director had agreed to the manager's plan before it was fully out of her mouth. Imagine, a Fuwa Sho surprise single release before the main event. If Sho wasn't the #1 singer in Japan before, Hikaru was sure he was now.

The three men met in the middle of the platform, near the edge of the drop and continued to wave. Even now, so soon after the commercial break and the unofficial celebrity opening of Bridge Rock, the crowd had returned to their usual TV audience behavior. Loud clapping, with a few more rowdy cheers than usual. It was to be expected, when you knew your viewers likely consist of more than 70% of the Japanese public.

"Welcome everyone, to Bridge Rock!" Hikaru called, over the crowd of clapping. He held the microphone close to his lips just to get his voice to register over the sound of the energetic audience. At his introduction, the crowd grew even louder, more excited and nervous at the countdown to the main attraction.

"We know what you're all here for!" Shin laughed, bringing his hands down to signal to the audience to quiet down in his customary charismatic technique. Everything he did was relaxed and laid back.

"Don't worry." Yuusei grinned roguishly, his constantly changing cap and his black spikes gave him a Yankee edge that was always confident and appealing in its own way. "I'll always be here for all you ladies." As he winked at the crowd, a small round of chuckling started.

"I doubt that they're here for you." Hikaru deadpanned, bringing the chuckles to laughter. Yuu laughed too, and slapped an arm around Hikaru's shoulder. The funny thing about Bridge Rock was how they acted off the stage was the exact same way they acted on the stage. Their same last name and brotherly like familiarity seemed to relax crowds for fun episodes.

"Oh don't be jealous, Chibi-kun." Yuu chuckled easily, squeezing his shoulder. _Although I wish he'd leave that part off. _Hikaru openly glowered at his co-host, elbowing him not-so-sharply into the gut.

"No fighting before the guests." Shin called, breaking up the following scuffle, all to the amusement of the crowd. "Thank you for being here everyone, to this special Bridge Rock event!" The roar of claps and screams that followed rivaled the opening of the show.

"Talking about guests…"

"Here's the man of the hour."

"Tsuruga Ren!"

Ren seemed to enjoy the way the stage's warm light glowed over his face, catching him from every angle as he emerged from the heavy curtains of the guest entrance. He enjoyed the crowd's attention, smiling gentlemanly and waving to the audience graciously.

Placated by the customary gentlemanly Tsuruga Ren, rather than the rumoured Tsuruga Ren, the audience clapped, cheered and screamed his name. Almost as if everything was back to normal. If Hikaru was perfectly honest with himself, the actor looked like he was determined to enjoy tonight like it was the last time he'd be stage; the last time the world would experience Tsuruga Ren and love him as Japan's largest actor and model.

"Long time no see, Tsuruga." Offering his fist, Yuu and Ren bumped knuckles, followed by a handshake with Hikaru and a bow to Shin.

Hikaru guided his arm to the guest loveseat, as he and his fellow leaders sat in their designated single chairs. From the corner of his eye, he saw how the camera focused on the elevated stage, and the flushed actor most of all.

"Now Tsuruga-san, I know you were here just about a week ago, but am I right in saying that a lot has changed since then?" Shin smiled, shifting himself to face more towards his guest.

"Most would say that's quite the understatement." The edges of Ren's lips turned up in a ghost of a smile. Polite laughter followed.

"Mind telling us about it?" Yuu invited, relaxing back into his host chair. "I'm sure it's been quite an interesting ordeal for you."

"I would think your audience would have had enough of hearing about my week." Their guest replied politely, driving Hikaru and Shin to grin at each other and Yuu to snort.

"I'll have to disagree there Tsuruga-san." Hikaru smiled first at the actor, then to the audience. "In fact, I'd say our audience is here to hear about you and only you tonight, ne?" He swore he could hear the cries from the outside the building, in addition to the deafening agreement in the studios. What surprised him more though, was the faint tinges of pink their guest was portraying. Almost like if he were really embarrassed. That Tsuruga was truly quite the actor.

"Don't worry Tsuruga." Shin's look was almost mischievous, which matched the look of his other hosts. "For those who haven't been following the news…" "Crawl out from under your rock…" "Thanks Yuu…" Shin gave him a quick look, as Hikaru hit him jovially. "…we've made a montage."

* * *

Keeping a straight face as he watched his humiliation of a week cut into a five minute reel was probably the hardest thing Tsuruga had to sit through during an interview. The embarrassing interview that had started the whole week was easily eclipsed by the weak rebuttals he gave to the public, the various over the top reactions of his fan clubs, and to top it off, the looks of "_innocent admiration"_ his manager managed to pull off with secret cameras filming their day in complete detail.

Reflecting back on the week as a silent outside observer, he could have seen why the President had been so determined to have him date and flirt openly with women after a few days of the rumor-mill, and was adamant in having him on the show tonight. The gossip world had been eating him alive, and if he had wanted to continue his career, he would've had to rebuild at least two years' worth of respect…It was almost lucky that he was withdrawing from the career by choice.

At least his manager had a future career as an actor. Who knew Yuki was a diamond in the rough? Ren rolled this thought in his head as the scene of the infamous cream at the dessert shop rolled past. Maybe he could be _his_ manager. A fitting sort of revenge. A manager was meant to meddle. And Ren had learned from the best.

As the lights faded in, the cameras' red light flickered back on and refocused, showing that they were back in action and rolling again. They all captured the vaguely sad smile covering the face of the most famous actor in Japan, along with the three quiet hosts. A surprising hush filled the large auditorium, as his eyes fell and turned to his hosts.

"There are plenty of talented, wonderful people in the business, heterosexual and not." Tsuruga started slowly, his face a look of utter seriousness.

The three hosts nodded in agreement, swallowing simultaneously.

"Their sexual orientation has nothing to do with their job and their ability to do it."

The air seemed to crackle with a trapped unsure energy, as more nodded to his words.

"And the way people have reacted to this story is a shame of this day and age. What if other talented people were gay? Hidehito Kijima or Fuwa Sho? Would that change their talent?"

Yuu leaned in and spoke, reading the mind of everyone in the room. "And you?"

"Me?" A group inhale almost sucked the room of air, as the pause hung in the vacuum. "I'm not gay."

As the casual flippancy of the comment washed over the audience, there was a sudden group exhale, a cry of triumph, and sudden bursts of ecstatic tears ran through the crowd. If he hadn't been mistaken, he might have heard a group of relived fireworks, all going off at the same time.

Ren watched in silence as the news digested, rolling around the whispers of the crowds, the sounds of text messages and e-mails being typed feverishly, sent out to gob smacked recipients and back to equally dazed friends. The hosts paused as well, letting the audience's noise slowly calm to a low continuous mumble. Once it had, Hikaru finally asked the next logical question. The one Ren waited all night for.

"Then why, Tsuruga-san?"

Ren leaned his head down, rubbing his forehead and closing his eyes. If it were to be anytime, it had to be now. "...For love Ishibashi-san. For love."

* * *

Hikaru knew that the moment he said it, there would be pandemonium. And there was. It definitely was the sort of chaos that screamed of an end of the world scenario. Where things got so bad no one could react. Everything, and everyone froze. So utterly complete that it almost looked like the audience was fabricated. Cardboard cutouts snapped together in rigid rows of frozen women. He almost felt bad. From a relieved ecstasy to an unexpected crash of fan-girl dreams.

"It's almost funny Ishibashi-san. I didn't realize I was being eaten up by it. I didn't realize I was so weak until I went against this." Ren looked almost lost, as he pulled his head up and ran a nervous hand through his hair.

He kept his eyes on Ren, nodding for him to continue. For now, while the audience took in the information, the actor would have to talk to him like they were confidants, and there weren't millions of dumbfounded followers glued to their televisions.

"I always thought I had to be alone. Until I became the best person I could be. Until I could shine bright enough to wash away my sins and be worthy of the love people showed me. But each day I worked, I buried myself deeper into that goal. I had to become a better actor. I had to expand on my trade. To meet and exceed directors' expectations. To bring happiness to all those fans who've supported me, while I destroyed the person I once was with the person I thought I should have always been. For my family and its name."

He looked up at the cluster of fans and admirers, a bittersweet smile shushing any form of response.

"But she…she watched me fail. And collapse. And dragged me back. She held me to expectations I had to reach for. She didn't allow me to fall for longer and didn't coddle me like I had always been. If I could rise to the occasion, she coaxed me. When I couldn't escape the trap I had cocooned myself in, she broke those walls, marked me as hers, and filled a soul that only seemed to drain happiness."

Ren gritted his teeth and clenched his fist. Hikaru watched him closely, as if he were remembering a fond memory that had somehow become tainted. Scarred and destroyed by his doing. There was a mixture of resentment and fury, mixed with internal agony and poignant longing for a thing that was far away.

His dark eyes jumped up to the hosts, then to the camera. He gazed so hard into the lens Hikaru wasn't sure if he were looking at the camera, but at the person behind it. "That's why I'm here. To confess. I may not deserve love, but I can't let go without apologizing for how much I failed them as a person, and how I would love them no matter how they felt about me."

"Say no more Tsuruga-san." Shin smiled, struck at how heartfelt the actor's words were. Yuusei was just as swept up, as Hikaru sat there, stunned. Tsuruga Ren was obviously the king in the acting business, but when it came to his love life, or even his few romantic roles, the number one man never seemed this open, or convincing. The words of devotion from their idol were vague enough to sound like he could be confessing to each and every member of the audience individually. Like he played the world's sweetest music. Made the county's sweetest dessert. All lulled into a sort of blissful waking dream.

Well, it was show time.

"Would all of you like to meet Tsuruga-san's special one!?" Yuusei yelled, punching his fist up to energize the audience. They met his questions with waking cheers.

"There's no way we could let him not introduce us, especially after all that." Shin followed, grinning slyly at the taken-aback performer.

Hikaru too felt almost sluggish, almost punch-drunk in the blanket of feelings their guest unwrapped with his deepest confession. And he was surprised at Ren's surprise, as Ren's eyebrows rose and his face became almost a full shade paler. But he too was a professional, and he had another guest to introduce. He stood up from his couch, followed by the others, and swept his arm to the entrance area.

"Welcome!" **"Welcome!" **_"Welcome!"_

* * *

"_SQUAWK!"_

Kanae held onto its…his…her…whatever's head as she walked onto stage. Tumbling awkwardly from the stage opening, four pairs of eyebrows raised as the clumsy mascot half walked, half dragged on stage, almost as if it were weighed down.

_How was she ever able to move in this costume, much less act as energetic as she had?_

"Bo?" The shortest host exclaimed, jumping to his feet in surprise. He was probably expecting her to come out, to save that love-struck actor from himself. And instead…well, they did get Kotonami Kanae…in a way.

As she tried to stagger her way to the stage, the rooster's tail got stuck within the curtains, pulling the drapes down threateningly.

"Bo, stop!" The blond host shouted, standing up and motioning for their old mascot to stop. The rooster did, allowing the stage crew to carefully free the bird from its risky position, and the crowd to snicker.

Kanae glanced back in the suit, and realized what she had almost done. If she had brought the stage down, this tightrope would collapse, and whatever Kyoko was planning in the back would all be for naught. She realized that she had to play this better, if she really were to buy the time her best friend needed.

"I thought all roosters were boys." The blond host said to the shorter one, causing the shorter one to shrug. "Bo?" Yuu (she was pretty sure that was him) asked, looking at her.

Lifting a finger to his beak, Bo made a shushing motion that obviously meant it was a secret. The host smiled in his own stage approval, as the crowd giggled again.

"Tsuruga-san?" Shin asked jovially, sounding half accusing and half in jest. "I didn't know you felt that strongly about chicken."

"I'm more of a seafood person actually." Ren smiled, setting the crowd into more laughter.

The happy go lucky mascot quickly ran to the edge of the stage, where the apoplectic director shook his fist at the cock. Bo quickly began dragging out the under-utilized box of props.

Humming eccentrically and waving his tail feathers at the camera, Bo pulled out a man sized fish and ceremonially threw it over his back.

Then Bo turned back to Ren, almost looking like he was waggling his eyebrows. "NOW do you want me?" Bo's entire stance seemed to convey. Ren truly smiled at the Rooster's antics before giving a dramatic sigh. "I'm sorry Bo." Ren walked across the stage, down the steps and took Bo's feathered hand that wasn't holding the fish. "While we may be lifelong friends, I can never truly love you in the manner you want. My heart is committed to another."

_It better be…with the embarrassment you're both making me go through. _Kotonami gritted her teeth within the costume, but knew it was pointless. She couldn't be unprofessional now.

Bo crumpled to the ground and as the fish fell uselessly to the floor, he produced a wig out of nowhere (or the prop box).

Placing the bright blond hairpiece over the rooster's head, the actor just shook his head in continued confirmation.

An oversized ring box. A badminton racket. A black bow tie. An gigantic sack with the yen symbol stamped on it (which Kanae could barely lift up, much less carry.) She dropped that one at the actor's feet.

Each prop drew the chicken deeper and deeper into despair, somehow wringing out the despair from audience.

Finally Bo pulled out a single long rose, which Tsuruga could only shake his head at. He patted the bird, and returned quickly to his seat, while Bo cried out in his own silent way. Reaching out for him. Yuu wiped away a tear of mirth as he watched Bo lament under his blue light. Holding the rose into the air, some genius crew members made it look like snow was falling on the heartbroken bird, while the shouts of encouragement rang out from the crowd.

Shin gave a small laugh, and looked at Hikaru for guidance. Despite his height, Hikaru really was the leader of their trio, and had the best grasp of television. "Time?" Shin whispered. Hikaru nodded in response, keeping his TV smile up. "Bo's not responding to our stops."

Blocking the microphone to muffle his stage whisper, Yuu leaned into the others. "Think Kyoko's forgotten the cue?" Yuu mouthed to the others, just loud enough for the four of them to hear. "We have to stop her."

* * *

Those five words hung like a cloud in the air, as Ren slowly absorbed their meaning.

"Think Kyoko's forgotten the cue?"

_Kyoko…Kyoko…_

Ren watched in widening shock as the rooster began to croon to the crowd, causing the audience to laugh harder and jokingly push the mascot away when it got within holding distance.

_Bo…Kyoko…the rooster was Kyoko?_

**You might be able to fool all of Japan with that sweet smile of yours, but not me!**(i)

Standing almost as quickly as he sat, the actor practically jumped the few steps down to the level stage below.

**Maybe you're being negative about your feelings because she's a high school student?**(ii)

The crowd's sudden eagerness at the mascot began to swiftly evaporate as they caught sight of their idol's emotional face. Bo, the oblivious rooster played on with the audience member's that hadn't caught on to the quickly changing atmosphere.

She had supported his pursuance of the high school girl. She had laughed at him, hated him, yet helped him the first time they had met under her disguise of Bo. And she had deliberately gone to search for him while he was having trouble as Katsuki.

"Tsuruga?" Shin asked quizzically, standing up.

_Really…a rooster head on a duck body. Was he really that blind?_

He could remember the rooster's deep laughter, suddenly realizing how familiar it seemed.

The last oblivious members of the audience caught the sight of the actor's face, and pulled back almost immediately, fading back into the larger whispering crowd. Bo's chickeny whine slowly faded, as she felt the long actor's shadow fall over the large mascot's costume.

**"You...hurt her..."**

**"Kotonami-san..."**

_**"Moko-san! Stop!"**_

He had confessed it all to her. Already. Even before the whole show started.

Spinning the rooster by the tail, Ren squeezed both shoulders as he stared intensely into the black eyes of the mask that covered the very person he had been searching for for the last twenty-four hours.

He could feel the thin feminine arm beneath the costume start to shake; she was trying to pull away. She probably knew he knew now. Could read the surprise and turmoil in his face. She probably thought she was mad at him, knowing her. But he couldn't let her run now. Not again.

"**You can't pretend to care for people when you don't! What if they fall for it! Don't make believe to care for someone when you love someone else! What about them…what if the other falls for it…"**

Kyoko would never believe it if he didn't say it directly to her. For her, now that he could finally say it face to face.

* * *

_Stupid Tsuruga! Why are you staring at me like that? ...Oh…Oh no…_

Kanae recognized that face, still visible through the mesh of the costume's eyes. That was the face of a final school confession on the last day of the spring semester. A lover's tender gaze in the glow of Christmas lights. The final look of the President's infamous romance simulations…

And he was looking at the wrong LoveMe member.

_No…Not now! You can't realize that Bo's Kyoko now! Not when I'm here! _

Without a second thought, Tsuruga Ren reached for the head, and began to pull it off. She lunged for the head herself, and pulled the head down with all her might. She had to stop him. Not only for Kyoko, but for own pride and career.

"Nooooooooooo!" The rooster gave a howl and held the head as firmly as her feathers would let her.

"Don't do it Tsuruga!" Still, the actor pulled and tugged. Just as determined to see her face as she was to hide it. "I'm not her! I'm not her!"

"No. I am."

* * *

**(i) Chapter 23 pg 6**

**(ii) Chapter 67 pg 15-16**

**Sorry Runa – the best, most patient beta ever. (Everyone, make sure you thank her.) I wanted to get this part out at least before the New Year. But with a small romance road block, I figured I could make this the second to last chapter instead. Save all that "love" for the last part.**

**For everyone else, the last chapter is coming up next. And I already have about three pages left into it. I told myself I'd finish this before the end of the year…but considering that's two days away…I hope to have it done before Valentine's Day. That'll be my gift to one and all who's stuck to it.**


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